In the early 1880s, immigrants and adventurers
came in droves to seek their livelihood on the
verdant land along the Yellowstone River. The
hastily constructed tents and log cabins made
it appear as if Billings materialized overnight –
thus earning the name “The Magic City.” Today,
as the largest city in Montana, Billings proudly retains its ‘Magic City’ moniker. As for Magic City
magazine, we promise to continue our mission
to uncover all that is unique and wonderful and
changing in this great community ... and we guarantee a few surprises along the way.

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THE GREATER BILLINGS NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL SYSTEM

Registration and Information

www.heartandsolerace.org
406.254.7426

Managed by

FROM THE EDITOR

this issue

Who owns whom?
It was her outstretched paws pressing
against the glass that first caught my eye.
I had tagged along with a friend who
needed to stop by the pet store. While my
friend headed to the aquarium section, I
strolled over to the wall of windows where
adoptable cats were housed. Now, I am
not impulsive by nature, and this was not
my first foray down the aisle of adorable
felines. In fact, whenever I go to the pet
store I take time to peek at the animals and
read their inspired biographies. It warms
my heart to know there are so many caring
people looking out for these creatures in
need.
But on this particular day, a young
feline padded at the window repeatedly,
yowling, demanding that I stop. She was
a beautiful Norwegian Forest kitty. Her
striped coat was thick and glossy, and she
had a big, bushy tail. Looking me in the
eye, she continued her insistent caterwauling. Curious, I asked the woman volunteer
to open the cage.
“We only allow people to hold pets if they’re seriously interested in
adoption,” she said curtly.
“I wouldn’t ask if I weren’t potentially interested,” I replied.
With that, the keeper handed over the now purring kitty who
promptly nuzzled her face into my chin and – I am not kidding –
wrapped her front paws around my neck in what can only be described
as a giant bear hug. She had me at meow.
Pet-o-nomics
Americans love their pets. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturing Association, 63% of households own an animal,
and nearly half own more than one. On average, owners report spending between $900 and $1,600 each year on their pets’ food, veterinary
care, toys, treats, grooming, boarding and the like. Moreover, medical and nutritional advances have increased the average age of our pets;
dogs now routinely live between 12 and 14 years.
The elevation of dogs and cats from outdoor animals to family
members has fueled an enormous pet-centric industry. Last year we
spent an incredible $48 billion on our pets, and that number is projected
to climb to more than $51 billion, making Fido and Fluffy recessionresistant.

8 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Lessons in love
Our relationship with our furry
friends is a complicated one. We refer
to ourselves as pet “owners,” but it’s my
observation there’s a deeper dynamic
at work.
If you’ve ever had a dog or cat
or critter, you already know what I’m
talking about. For most, pets are an
extension of our family. We care about
them. We feed them, groom them, pet
them, walk them, teach them fetch, sit,
shake and settle. We laugh at their antics and cry when they’re hurt.
Through our pets, we learn
what it’s like to receive unconditional
love. And in a curious turn, the manner in which we treat animals reveals
our humanity.
Sophia’s choice
I named her Sophia – Princess
Sophia, actually. Watching her antics,
my daughters called me on the name.
“She’s not a Sophia,” said Alex.
“She’s a Butch!” added Taylor.
While I didn’t agree with Butch, I had to admit, there was nothing prim
and proper about the Norwegian Forest kitty. Sofa, as we’ve come to call her,
wields a powerful personality. Over the years she’s taught me a lot.
We’ve come to an accord, Sofa and me. I feed her, groom her, give
her an occasional saucer of milk and keep her box clean. In return, she
lets me pet her. I think she’s going to keep me.

Lessons from Sofa:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Don’t let a glass wall – or ceiling – keep you from reaching your potential.
Fall madly, passionately and deeply in love, and show it.
Maintain a little mystery – unpredictability makes life interesting.
Indulge in napping without apology.
Play hard and often.

Allyn Hulteng
editor@magiccitymagazine.com

contributors

Jamie Besel received her master’s degree in nursing,

working in various nursing positions such as education
and intensive care. After the birth of her third child she
switched gears to become a full-time homemaker. She is
elated to pursue her dream of freelance writing and enjoys
learning about women in our community. Most importantly, Jamie spends as much time as possible with her
husband and three amazing children.

Scott Prinzing started collecting music in kindergarten,
started writing about music in high school, and started deejaying in college. For the past decade or so, his focus has been on
Montana music and American Indian music. In 2008, he produced
a curriculum guide and compilation CD for the Indian Education
department of Montana’s Office of Public Instruction. Other roles
include performing as one-half of the acoustic duo, Earthshine, and
the Green Man on Green Smarts with the Green Man!
TJ Wierenga retired from her previous career as a
Telecommunications Manager to be a Write At Home
Mom for her two homeschooled children. Her faith,
family and friends, quarterhorse gelding, gardening, reading and writing all keep her busy. She and her
family also love to camp, hike, fish and shoot photos in
our Montana wilderness.

Katherine Berman, originally from Boston, Mass.,

is approaching the end of her first year in Billings. When
Katherine isn’t enjoying the local dining scene herself or—
during work hours—helping others to do the same, she loves
writing, exploring her new digs out West, cooking with her
boyfriend, and talking to her friends and family back East,
whom she misses dearly. Katherine has a weakness for takeout Chinese food, costume jewelry and garden gnomes.

Virginia Bryan, a free-lance writer based in
Billings, is an MFA candidate in creative nonfiction at
the University of New Orleans and chairs the High Plains
Book Awards Committee, a project of Parmly Billings
Library.
KIDS’ COUTURE & GIFTS

Dan Carter – Born and raised in the Gallatin

Valley, Dan found his journalistic roots at the University of Montana. After graduating, he worked at
weekly and small daily papers in Montana and Oregon
before returning to Billings. He worked at The Billings
Gazette for 14 years and now works in government
relations and publications at Montana State
University Billings.

E
N
H
Y
W
O
U’RE EXPECTING
T
S
E
B
E
H
T
T
C
E
P
X
.
E
One look around our newly renovated Mother and Baby area and you’ll immediately notice
our unique, family-centered environment. We provide Moms with two rooms - one for the
safest birthing area possible and another clean, fresh room for recovery. Plus, we offer the
area’s only dedicated nursery staffed by nurses, who watch over your bundle of joy while you
get some much needed rest. To set up a personalized tour, call 406-237-7086 today.

THE HEALING POWER OF COMPASSION.

MAY / JUNE 2011

Fun, fascinating finds
we think are great.

Stylin’ Shades

Bamboo Dreams

Protect your peepers this summer
with a new pair of UV-protected
shades, available in adult and
munchkin sizes. Available at:

Add some sustainability to your sleep
in these luxurious Roxy Ruffle bamboo
pajamas by Dreamsacks. The tank and
bottoms are available in a variety of
colors and sizes.

Quench your thirst in
style with a Camelbak
Groove water bottle,
complete with its own
filtration system that
keeps your beverage
ice-cold. The sipfriendly straw design
makes drinking a breeze
and your car seat will love
the no-spill feature.
Available at The Base Camp $25

Available at Scandia Down $95

Stop Dreaming,
Start Driving

Exotics Racing School offers the ultimate race car
driving experience for everyday motorists. Located
at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, drivers can
choose from a fleet of exotic vehicles, including a
Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Porsche or
Audi. Accompanied by a professional instructor, you
canpush the boundaries of the car’s performance as
you drive around a true racetrack, thrilling at the
acceleration, speed and response.
Driving packages start at $199 and include
instruction—100% adrenaline response guaranteed. www.exoticsracing.com.

Ring ‘Em Up

Lasso Golf can keep the family entertained
just about anywhere, whether it’s in the
backyard, camping or an afternoon in the
park. With two sets of target ladders, six
sets of Lasso golf balls and a complete play
book packaged in a handy, nylon carrying
bag, your entertainment is in the bag and
ready to go any time you are. Suggested
age: 10+
Available online: target.com $25

MAGIC I may 2011 I 11

By Scott Prinzing • Photography by Casey Riffe

Joseph FireCrow:

The Cheyenne Nation’s Magical Flutist

“ I grew up
hearing the
drum and
singing
in the

As a young boy growing up in Lame Deer, Joseph FireCrow never dreamed that one

day he would be a musical ambassador for his Northern Cheyenne Nation. As one of
the most celebrated players of the Native American flute, FireCrow has won several
Nammys (Native American Music Awards), including the highest award, Artist of the
Year, in 2010. His music has been included on compilation albums, movie and TV
soundtracks. FireCrow’s second CD, Cheyenne Nation, was nominated for a Grammy
in 2001, the first year there was a Native American Music category at the Grammys.
He has been honored with a Nammy for Songwriter of the Year, Flutist of the Year and
for Best Instrumental Recording in 2005 for his performance on Parmly’s Dream, with
the Billings Symphony Orchestra and Chorale.
In addition to concert performances all over the country, FireCrow gives frequent
educational presentations and flute making workshops. During his most recent visit

singing in the Cheyenne language; I would hear the flute in the
evening. It was beautiful. As a young person, I learned to play the
trumpet, and when I went away to school I really came to appreciate
and have a great understanding of music.

First flute: It wasn’t until I went to college that I closely listened
to the flute. One of the professors was a Native man who taught
music and how to make flutes. Music is a discipline. And there’s
a lot of responsibility and dedication and sacrifice that goes with
that. After I made my first flute, at age 18 in the summer of 1977, there
were two melodies that just poured out of me and I could not forget
them. When I picked up the flute again nearly two decades later, those
melodies were still there. In my mid-30s, there was a renaissance of
culture, heritage; the old songs and ceremonies were coming back;
and the flute came back into my life. And it’s been with me ever since.
Boombox recording: I recorded my first album, The Mist, on
cassette tape on a boombox at the Catholic Church in Lame Deer. I
played all the melodies I knew on a few different flutes for about 40
minutes, later making dubs of the tape to give away as gifts for family
and friends. I made my second tape, Rising Bird, at a studio in Billings pretty much the same way. Since about 1993, the flute has been
my full-time occupation. In 1996, Makoche’ Records in Bismark,

12 I may 2011 I MAGIC

language;
I would
hear the
flute in the
evening.
It was
beautiful.. ”

to Billings, he shared a bit of his story.
Childhood in Lame Deer: I grew up hearing the drum and

Cheyenne

N.D., picked me up after I
shopped my tapes around at
several record labels.
Face the Music: For Face
the Music, my latest CD, we
went back to a more progressive sound. Not really hip-hop,
not really pop, more of an
inner city/world beat kind of
sound. It’s a little bit of everything. I was concerned that the
Cheyenne back home would not
appreciate it or accept it. My
wife said, “Joe, you’re gonna have
to go back to the reservation and
Joseph FireCrow helps attendees make naface the music.” So, that’s how
tive flutes at his workshop.
we came up with the title. This
is the CD that won the Flutist
of the Year and Artist of the Year at the Native American Music Awards last
November.
Flutist of the Year: I didn’t even realize that I’d won Flutist of the
Year, because I was backstage after presenting an award for disabled veterans

from Iraq and Afghanistan. You still
consider yourself to be really lucky
to be there anyway, but to walk away
with some hardware makes it all that
much more…surreal…giddy…exciting. I can’t tell you how honored and
happy and thrilled [I am]. It’s just all
been good and awesome.
Parmly’s Dream: I first per-

formed at the Alberta Bair Theater
with the Billings Symphony Orchestra
on a piece called Parmly’s Dream,
composed by Jim Cockey and
conducted by Uri Barnea. That collaboration won the Best Instrumental

Joseph FireCrow has
released five albums under
the Makoche’ Recording
Company label:

FireCrow
Cheyenne Nation
Legend of the Warrior
Red Beads
Face the Music
Find out more at
www.JosephFireCrow.com.

Recording Nammy in 2005. It was truly
a growing experience for me, as it was
the first time I’d ever performed with an
orchestra. I’d performed in numerous
concert bands before, but never with an
orchestra. It was quite challenging for
me to be there, and I learned a lot.
Phone home: It’s so important to re-

member our relatives. I call my mother
every Sunday – even if I’m on the road – I
make that effort. It’s always important to
stay connected, as it’s hard to get home a
lot. This last year has been a good one, as
I’ve already been back twice and it’s still
early in the year.

to register or for More inforMation www.heartandsoleraCe.org or (406) 254-7426.

Kohl’s Cares: Kids on the Move
Kohl’s Department Stores and St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation
have partnered to help kids learn healthy habits. Activities
include: Physical fitness and health education program for
Billings upper elementary students with guest speakers on
health, safety and how to stay energized, active and making
healthy choices; students and families participating in the
heart & sole run; running clubs and co-sponsored elementary
cross country meet.
MAGIC I may 2011 I 15

By Dina Brophy • Photography by Michelle Por and Kira Fercho

Kira Fercho

A color-canvassed world
She holds a master’s degree in mental health and
rehabilitation and works with teens in crisis because she
“believes in service.” But Kira Fercho, no matter where she
is or what she’s doing, is always an artist.
“Paint is everywhere in my life,” Fercho said. “It’s in my
house, my car, my office – everywhere. There’s never a
moment I’m not an artist, and the presence of paint all over
my life is evidence of its importance to me.”
Kira defines her artistic genre as Western contemporary.
More specifically, she paints expressionistic/impressionistic Western-style landscapes.
“I like to paint what’s indigenous to the area,” said Fercho. “I take a landscape, then I make it funky. I look beyond what I see and try to
create something that evokes feeling within the viewer. I want my art to spark something emotional.”
Fercho’s passion for art and its intention comes across in the final product. Her work is vibrant, electric and pops with unexpected color.
There is a maturity in this young woman’s painting.
At 31 years, Fercho’s list of life experiences eclipses that of many who are years her senior.
She dropped out of high school as a junior, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana at the age of 21, had a baby, went
through a divorce and tried on several different careers before discovering she wanted to help teens with their emotional challenges.
Fercho returned to school and finished her master’s degree in the spring of 2010. Currently, she is a counselor for Tumbleweed Runaway
Services and serves as the Tumbleweed Crisis Counselor at Billings Senior High.
All the while, she has been painting.
When do you recall art having a meaningful presence in your life?

I sold my first painting when I was 15, but I’ve been painting as
long as I can remember; it’s always been my thing. I’ve always been
fascinated by how things look and figuring out how to capture it in
paint.
Is your art influenced by any particular art movement?

I’ve been strongly influenced by Russian impressionism; I’ve
studied it a lot. It’s about understanding neutrals, value changes and
making an image pop with jewel tones. Both have to be there, or it
doesn’t work.

of friends and mentors. I’ve been lucky to develop friendships with
some of my heroes - Harry Koyama, Loren Entz, Russell Chatham,
Rusti Warner, Robert Moore - they influence my art and my life.
do you HAVE ANY SPECIFIC MENTORS WHO HAVE BEEN
PARTICULARLY INFLUENTIAL?

I currently have an apprenticeship with Loren Entz. He’s a member of the Cowboy Artists of America (a prestigious, membership-byinvitation-only artist’s organization), and he lives in Billings.
I get to paint with him three to four hours each week. Currently
I’m studying classic portraiture with him. But portraiture is something I do just for me. I’ll keep that out of the marketing world.

You are a young woman, a single mother and a freethinker. How has the artist community received
you?

Galleries featuring
Kira Fercho’s art:

Painting is primarily an older man’s world – I’m like the puppy
of the group, but I know my place. I’m always respectful of them
and their work, and in kind, they have become the greatest group

Bowling, Burgers and Good Buys
Once a drab arterial lined with dilapidated storefronts and decaying
facades, Central Avenue is making a comeback. A recent infusion of
new construction and renovation work has done much to improve the
aesthetics and walkability of this area, slowly moving it from an eyesore
to an up-and-coming, small-scale neighborhood commercial district.
And investors and business owners have taken notice.
We salute those visionaries who saw opportunity instead of neglect, and
the business owners who are proud to have a Central Avenue address.

1. Par-3 Exchange
City Golf Course
Spend an afternoon on the green. The
18-hole Exchange City Golf Course boasts
2,799 yards of golf from the longest tees for
a par of 54. Reasonably priced green fees
and lessons.

2. Sunset Bowl
Why Wii bowl when you can enjoy the real
thing? Sunset Bowl offers open bowling,
men’s, women’s and kids leagues, even
birthday party rentals. A snack bar and
cocktail lounge are conveniently located
on site.

p Right: Warmth
Right: Moon Behind

3. Buck’s Bar
No frills – just one of the city’s best burgers
in an iconic establishment. Wash your
dinner down with a cold beer while taking
in the unpretentious atmosphere.

5. Angry Monkey
Take your paintball game to
the next level with the topquality guns and supplies from
Angry Monkey Paintball.
Other specialty merchandise
includes Frisbee golf and Fight
Co.™ brand MMA gear.

6. Central Hobbys
Claiming to be the “world’s
largest pattern r/c supplier,”
Central Hobbys offers an
incredible selection of materials to build remote controlled
aircraft and so much more.
Amateurs and experts alike
will appreciate the staff’s
expertise.

7. Connect Telephone &
Computer Group
The Connect Group specializes in using technology to
help businesses solve communication issues – including
voice, video or data – giving
the business a competitive
advantage.

8. Staley’s Tire
& Automotive
With three area locations,
Staley’s offers professional tire
sales, installation and tire
repair services. Staley’s is the
only shop in the region with
specialized “touchless” tire
mounting equipment, ensuring your tires and wheels will
not be harmed during mounting or repair.

10. Cenex Zip Trip
Billings’ newest Cenex Zip
Trip is more than just a gas
station – it’s a well-appointed pit-stop and snack food
oasis. According to Tom
Savas, Zip Trip’s regional
manager for the eastern
division, the new building’s
ultra-contemporary design
may become the prototype
for future Zip Trip stores.

11. Batteries Plus
You’ll find everything
from common AA and
9-volt batteries to hardto-find specialty batteries
in one convenient location. Have questions?
The store’s knowledgeable
service specialists are ondeck, happy to help.

12. Three Sights
Indoor Shooting
Range Billings’ newest
indoor shooting range
features a retail store
front with firearms, ammunition and accessories
plus a 10-lane firing
range. Three Sights welcomes walk-in’s for up
to two hours of shooting
for $17, or shooters may
purchase a membership.
A variety of classes are
also offered.

See her painting
in our Gallery
May 14th
from 1-4pm

Three Sights
Indoor Shooting
Range
Take aim

1430 Grand Ave.

245-9728

Staley’s Tire
Full-service automotive

www.framehut.com

Mon-Fri 9-6 • Sat 10-5
MAGIC I may 2011 I 19

By Dina Brophy • Photography by Casey Riffe and Larry Mayer

Let’s Take it Outside
Outrageous outdoor offerings
Decorative
Ceramic Dragonfly
Brighten your patio table, flower
pot or garden with these playful ceramic
dragonflies available in green, red and yellow.
They can also serve as spirited linen anchors
for your outdoor table.
Available at Gainan’s, $10

Factory Cart
These rustic industrial factory carts were used
at the turn of the century to transport goods
across factory floors. Handmade the oldfashioned way, these sturdy hardwood carts
move on cast iron wheels.
Each cart is a one-of-kind
original and makes a charming display
platform for an aged crock
filled with colorful annuals
or patio side table.
Available at Billings
Nursery, $395-$595

Cupcakes &
Cartwheels Floral
Decanter
This charming hand-painted
decanter will make a cheerful
statement at a picnic or on the
patio. The motif and colors
are inspired by the beautiful
textiles of Kashmire. Crafted of
stainless steel with spigot, it’s a
unique, playful way to dispense
your family’s favorite summer
time beverge.
Available at Gainan’s, $165

20 I may 2011 I MAGIC

DIY Outdoor Fireplace

“Answers for Living When Life is Limited”

Imagine how this stunning fireplace could transform your backyard
into a gathering place of warmth, comfort and style. Perfect for
the patio, this build-it-yourself kit from Rockwood Retaining Walls
delivers all the materials and step-by-step instructions you will need
to create this striking addition to your backyard.
Available at Billings Hardware, $3,000

Hospice Care is
100% paid
by Medicare/Medicaid
and most private insurance

Victorian Cottage
Birdhouse
Avian housing reaches new heights with
this distinctive architectural birdhouse from
Home Bazaar. Wrens, finches, chickadees
and nuthatches are the likely residents of
this Victorian and cottage inspired “bird
mansion.” Your bird residents will be
the envy of the avian community in this
charming birdhouse, complete with window
box and bright red flowers.
Available at Gainan’s, $53

Gardenstone Creations
employs a wet-saw
technique to create these
unique, one-of-a-kind
candle holders made from
river stones. With no two
stones being alike, each
candle holder is distinctive
in its earthy purity. These
candles will create a
lovely ambiance as you
relish a warm, summer
evening on the patio.
Available at Gainan’s,
$18 and up

“Human
Planet” weaves
together 80
inspiring
stories, many
never told
before, set
to a globallyinfluenced
soundtrack by
award-winning
composer, Nitin
Sawhney.

Following in the footsteps of “Planet Earth” and “Life,” this epic

eight-part blockbuster is a breathtaking celebration of the amazing,
complex, profound and sometimes challenging relationship between
humankind and nature. Humans are the ultimate animals – the most
successful species on the planet. From the frozen Arctic to steamy
rainforests, from tiny islands in vast oceans to parched deserts, people
have found remarkable ways to adapt and survive.

“Human Planet” weaves together 80 inspiring stories, many never

told before, set to a globally-influenced soundtrack by award-winning
composer, Nitin Sawhney. Each episode focuses on a particular habitat
and reveals how its people have created astonishing solutions in the face
of extreme adversity. Finally, we visit the urban jungle, where most of us
now live. Here we discover why the connection between humanity and
nature is the most vital of all.

22 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Music
In Your Dreams
By Stevie Nicks
“In Your Dreams” finds
Stevie Nicks weaving her
signature vocals through a
mix of Bob Dylan-inspired
folk songs, Italian love
ballads and rock anthems.
Heartbreakers guitarist
Mike Campbell co-wrote
two tracks, while Dave
Stewart and Glen Ballard shared production duties.
Nicks’ first solo album in a decade, “In Your
Dreams” was released this spring, nearly 10 years to
the day after “Trouble in Shangri-La’s” 2001 release.
Web Ed
www.talkingpets.org
This is the website
all the pets are talking
about—literally.
At this website,
you can upload a
photo of your furry
friend, select an
appropriate voice,
type unique personalized messages and then listen,
crumpled over in laughter, as the tiny jowls of your pet
chatter your words back to you.
E-mail your creations to friends or post them on
your Facebook page. Clicking around this site creates
hours of pet-powered fun, perfect for children or
adults.
Book
Rolf Harris’s True Animal Tales
By Rolf Harris
Australian author Rolf
Harris presents a wonderful
collection of funny, heroic
and sometimes heartbreaking
stories about animals from
all over the world in “True
Animal Tales.” The book
bursts with heroes like
Greyfriars Bobby, a feisty
Skye terrier who faithfully
guards his master’s grave
for 14 years, to heroines like Priscilla, a swimming
pig who saves a little boy from drowning. Full of fun
facts and Harris’ trademark illustrations, these heartwarming tales of devotion, intelligence and incredible
talent are sure to make you think again about your
feathered and furred friends.

te

n
ce

Treat yourself to the ultimate
“stay-cation.” Remodel with
Freyenhagen Construction
and enjoy the perfect view
without ever leaving home.

▪

www.facebook.com/freyenhagenconstruction

MAGIC I may 2011 I 23

FINE LIVING

great estates

“It was important [to the homeowners] that we
maintain the historical look of the home wherever
possible...for instance, we put dormers at the front of
the new addition to match the existing ones.
They flood the new addition with light – something
that old homes weren’t designed around.”
— Jeremy Freyenhagen,
General Contrator

Restorati
Retrospect
By Julie Green

•

Photography by James Woodcock

ion
tive

They had always
loved the house, just
a block or two down
from their little Dutch
Colonial. It sat on a
spacious lot along a
tree-lined street in
one of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most
charming districts.
But theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d given up
on it being theirs;
in fact, they were
ready to put in a bid
on another property
along historic
Virginia Lane.

Before:
Once painted a traditional white, the
homeowners were encouraged by
family friend Jim Gainan to choose
a red exterior. The difference is
dramatic, but the home still retains a
timeless look and feel.

FINE LIVING

great estates

Then out of the blue, they received an
unexpected call; a few weeks later, they were
moving in.
That was 2004, when the now-family of
seven was a family of five. The new owners
immediately tackled a few projects, including
updating changes to the upstairs bathroom,
adding egress windows in the basement,
painting throughout and addressing the
outdated wiring. But as the family grew, it
was time to make a decision: either remodel
to make the home more functional for
their needs, or move from the downtown
neighborhood they loved into a newer, larger
home in the suburbs.
It wasn’t a tough decision. Their love of
downtown living, proximity to work and
commitment to having their children grow
up in a walkable neighborhood made their
choice obvious: remodel.
After living in the home for nearly five
years, the owners had a list of changes
that were important – starting with
opening up the dark, post-war era kitchen
and adding both family living space and
storage. Working with contractor Jeremy
Freyenhagen, the couple decided to tear down
the home’s existing garage and add nearly 700
feet of living space to accommodate a new,
spacious kitchen and living area on the main
level and provide room for future expansion
in the basement.
“It was important [to the homeowners] that
we maintain the historical look of the home
wherever possible,”
Freyenhagen said.
“For instance, we put
dormers at the front
of the new addition
to match the existing
ones. They flood the
new addition with
light – something
that old homes
weren’t designed
around.”

1.

Before
2.

1] The sitting room, extended as part of the remodel, still boasts its original
beamed ceilings and large windows. In addition to providing a cozy spot for
reading the Sunday paper or enjoying a cup of coffee, it also serves as the family’s music room. 2] Before the remodel, the dining room was small and crowded
for this large family, but was even more problematic when it came to entertaining and dinner parties - a common occurrence in this stately home. 3] A newlyexpanded dining room houses heirloom furniture inherited by the couple. It was
no small task to replicate flooring in the new addition; although the use of maple
shorts was common in 1940’s homes, matching it required hand-crafting pieces
to create seamless connections between rooms.

Despite careful planning by both the
homeowners and the Freyenhagen team,
there were some surprises no one could have
anticipated. One of the most unusual was
the discovery of a nest of baby owls behind
the homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s steel siding. And although other
surprises (including finding and having to
safely remove asbestos) lacked the same fun,
this Magic City family wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t change a
thing.

Before
4.

4] Before remodeling, the family could
barely fit into the cramped kitchen, with its
low ceilings and country-style cabinets.
5] All seven can now fit comfortably around
the granite bar, which is also a perfect
place for kids to play or do homework. Two
full-size sinks, double ovens and a spacious
energy-efficient stainless steel refrigerator
allow for easy meal prep.

5.
6.

6] The use of furniture and floor coverings provide natural division between
living spaces while maintaining and
open layout. Skylights and south-facing
windows allow light in during the day,
and recessed lighting can be used in
the evening.

28 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Sometimes,
Simple Is Better.

ONE PROMISE. ONE WARRANTY.

7.

Why should buying
flooring be so
complicated?
We make it simple,
so you can enjoy the
important things.

7] A wall of windows, complete with a window seat, keeps the
master bedroom bright. The couple decided to stage the remodeling project, which will eventually include an en suite bath. They,
along with their contractor, recommend taking the time to think
through and plan for the long term, even if all of the work cannot
be completed in one project.

Pierce Promise.
No confusing terms.
No fine print.
No hassle.

The

Visit PiercePromise.com
for full details.

Billings 406.652.4666 2950 King Ave W
www.PierceFlooring.com

FINE LIVING

epicure

Picture Perfect Picnics
A kiss of warm sunshine.
Tender shoots of green grass tickling bare feet.
The soothing sound of a mountain stream quieting your spirit.
Picnics are more than a glorified sack lunch. They’re a sensory escape from
the coarseness of everyday life. Plan now to pack a basket and indulge in an
afternoon of sheer delight.

Earthy Pleasure

The Setting: Sportsman’s
Park along the Yellowstone River.
(Directions: West on I-90,
Exit 426, south through Park City
on S. Clark 0.7 miles. Travel east
on Cemetery Rd 3.2 miles,
then south.)

Amazing Views

The Setting: A sandstone bluff along
Black Otter Trail overlooking the valley.
The Spread: Feast on cold Italian pasta
salad, baguettes, plump red grapes and
sparkling bottled water. Short on time?
Pick up a savory pasta salad, fresh bread
and delectable minidessert from Poet
Street Market and be
on your way.
Make it
memorable: Bring
low slung camp
chairs and light
jackets. Sit back and
watch the sun slip
below the horizon.

Family-Friendly

The Setting: Pioneer Park offers
a treed oasis in the city. With acres
of open space, a playground, wading
pool and meandering creek, the
setting is perfect for family outings.

The Spread: Fresh hoagie rolls, thick sliced roast
beef, aged cheddar slices with condiments. Add kettlestyle potato chips, sliced apples and wash it down with
Wooley Bugger Root Beer available at Yellowstone Valley
Brewing Company.
Make it uniquely Montana: Bring a raft and dine as
you drift lazily down the Yellowstone River to Riverside
Park in Laurel.

Audubon
Conservation
Education
Center
We offer after school
programs, summer
camps, birthday
parties, and more!
Located just minutes from
downtown Billings, the
Audubon Center offers
hands-on nature education
programs for all ages.
We provide a low participant
to instructor ratio, highly
qualified staff, and lots of fun
outdoor explorations!

Romantically Inspired

The Setting: Rock Creek Vista Point scenic overlook on
the Beartooth Highway, just 20 miles south of Red Lodge.
At more than 9,000 feet in elevation, you’ll enjoy stunning
views of Rock Creek Canyon below.

The Spread: Create a custom Euro-style meat and cheese
board featuring Kerrygold Dubliner, French Brie, Stilton
Bleu Cheese, Galileo Dry Salami, Prosciutto di Parma and Italian ham. Enjoy along with a
selection of Mediterranean olives, marinated mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and chewy
Ciabatta bread. Sip on Perrier and finish with bite-sized bits of dried ginger.
Make it Last: Surprise your beloved and make reservations to stay overnight in Red
Lodge. Enjoy an unhurried breakfast at one of the resort town’s well-known bistros before
returning to the real world.

yellow-tinted wine. The
bright acidity and slight
sweetness will pair well

Wine labels are going to the dogs. Literally.
But fret not feline fanciers – cats have not
been neglected.
Images of man’s best friend grace the labels
of some delightful wines, including wines produced by Dunham Cellars, Pure Love Wines and
Hightower Cellars.
“Port,” a friendly-faced, black and white
pooch, pants happily on the label of Dunham
Cellars’ Three Legged Red. Winemaker Eric
Dunham recounts how he rescued the puppy
after it was attacked by a Pit Bull. In the fight,
Dunham says, “The puppy had lost a leg, but
found a home. With only three legs, and two on
the port side, I named him Port, and he is my
friend.”
From Pure Love Wines, a Jack Russell Terrier named Barossa Jack proudly stands atop a

wine barrel on their Estate Grown Shiraz. The label notes
that “a good dog keeps you company and protects you from
snakes while walking the vineyard.”
On Hightower Cellars’ Murray Cuvée, a yellow Labrador (named Murray, of course), looks adoringly out from
the label, a long-stemmed rose in his mouth.
“Murray has claimed the managerial throne at Hightower Cellars. His long lunches are usually spent chasing
vineyard rodents, fetching sticks, or roaming around the
perimeter of our vineyard, making sure he hasn’t missed
out on anything.”
Not to be outdone, several wine makers prominently
feature cats on their labels. One even boasts uniquelystyled decanter. Moselland Riesling, Germany’s flagship
grape is “purr-fectly” ensconced in a sleek, cat-shaped glass
bottle.
Fat Cat Cellars features a piano playing, sunglass sporting tom on its labels saying, “Our vibe is velvety varietal
wines. Wines inspired
by the jazz music we
love.”
A pair of yellow
eyes stare out from the
label of Black Cat, a
small boutique winery
in Napa Valley, while
a haughty black
cat jumps off the
Gato Negro
label.
These and
other fanciful,
pet-inspired
labels remind
us to look
beyond the
critter and
find the
unique story
within.

with Asian food,
especially Thai and Vietnamese cuisine.

2008 Pure Love Wines
Barossa Jack Shiraz
City Vineyards, $27
A deep red wine with
shades of purple exudes
fragrances and flavors
of black fruit, spice and
chocolate with a streak
of green pepper and dust
with good tannins. A grilled
lamb chop will taste delicious with this wine.

2007 Murray Cuvée Red
Wine, Columbia Valley
City Vineyards, $17
This wine is reminiscent of
blackberry pie with hints of
cherries. The wine finishes
with medium tannins and
herbaceous notes and has
good acidity. Enjoy with
a freshly-grilled flat iron
steak.

2007 Dunham Cellars’
Three Legged Red, Red
Table Wine, Columbia
Valley
Simply Wine, $22
Cherries abound in this
wine made with Cabernet,
Merlot and Syrah with notes
of green herbs and a touch
of toasty caramel. Good
medium tannins are also
found. Goes well with a
hamburger hot off the grill.

Stella Fong divides her time between Billings
and Big Sky where she writes, cooks and
teaches. Recently she received a Robert
Parker Scholarship for continuing studies at
the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
She also contributed family recipes to Greg
Patent’s new book, A Baker’s Odyssey, and
continues to write for other publications including Western Art
and Architecture.

It’s an area of the country that’s called legendary. Iconic. And stunning – in the depth
and breadth and beauty of its incredible offerings: the Badlands and Black Hills of South
Dakota. A visit to this nearby part of our world makes for a fabulous family adventure. From
eagles soaring against the backdrop of the striated columns of Devils Tower in Wyoming
to the spectacular scenery of the Black Hills, the immensity of Mount Rushmore, the lunarlike landscape of the Badlands and the kitschy fun of historic Deadwood, you’re in for a one
great American roadtrip.

Aerial view of Rapid City with the Black Hills on the horizon. Insets above: Rock Stars from left, Devil’s Tower can be seen for miles on I-90 en route to
Rapid City. Four presidents watch over the valley from Mount Rushmore. Close-up of the upper half of the unfinished Crazy Horse monument.
Photos provided by Black Hills, Badlands & Lakes.com.

MAGIC I may 2011 I 35

TRAVELOGUE

beyond billings

1.
2.
1] Panorama of the Black
Hills. 2] Stunning colors of
the Badlands at sunset.
3] Quirky tradition is found
at the famous Wall Drug
Store. 4] Historic main
street in Deadwood.
5] Created by atmospheric
pressure, Wind Cave has
more than 132 miles of
mapped passages.
6-7] Cowboy and Native
American cultures
intertwine in South Dakota.

3.

Devils Tower

Start your journey
by picking up I-90 and
heading to Wyoming.
About 30 miles beyond
Moorcroft, take scenic
Highway 24 for a close-encounter side trip to
Devils Tower. Scraping the sky nearly 1,300 feet
above the surrounding valley, this impressive
monolith – originally named “Bear Lodge” by
the Lakota Tribe – was formed by magma welling
up into surrounding sedimentary rock. Hike the
short trail around the base, climb the Tower, or
enjoy longer trails in the area. Because the site is
sacred to Native Americans, there is a voluntary
climbing closure every June. Return to I-90 and
continue east into South Dakota.

The Black Hills
Sometimes called an “island of trees in a sea
of grass,” the Black Hills region encompasses
more than 8,200 square miles of western South
Dakota and a portion of Wyoming (including
Devils Tower). The “black” of the hills – which are
actually mountains – refers to the dark appearance
of the pine-clad mountainsides. In addition to
spectacular scenery, the Black Hills is home to
six national parks and monuments, 101 miles of
national scenic byways, two national forests and
four state parks – all guaranteeing sensational
summer fun.

Six National Parks
If you stopped at Devils Tower, you’ve already
visited one of these six sites.
Another not-to-be-missed site is Mount

36 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Rushmore. On par with the Statue of Liberty
and our Stars and Stripes for stirring patriotic
emotions, Mount Rushmore features the carvedin-stone faces of Presidents George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and
Abraham Lincoln. Designed by sculptor Gutzon
Borglum, the faces – 60 feet high and scaled to the
proportions of 465 feet tall men – seem to change
expressions throughout the day with the morning
and afternoon sunlight. The Presidential Trail
takes you past the sculptor’s studio and provides a
dramatic view of the Presidents.
Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave
National Monument are must-sees for avid and
amateur spelunkers. Atmospheric pressure
differences create the wind that pours out of
Wind Cave, one of the world’s largest, with more
than 132 miles of mapped passages. In addition
to the cave, the park area has 28,000 acres of pine
forest and mixed-grass prairie filled with native
wildlife. Jewel Cave – named for its chambers
fringed with jewel-like crystals – is the second
longest cave in the world, and is also noted
for the rare balloon cave formations, made of
hydromagnesite and coated with moonmilk.
Established in 1999, the Minuteman Missile
National Historic Site is one of the nation’s newest
parks. Taking a “top secret” tour here will let
you see a nuclear missile silo and its launch control
facility and learn about the history of the Cold War.

Badlands National Park is a geological marvel
of colorful spires, pinnacles, buttes, hoodoos, gullies
and fossil beds, along with rolling grasslands on its
244,000 acres. Originally named “mako sica” or
“land bad” by the Lakotas, the term badland has
now come to mean any area where soft-sedimentary
rocks and clay soils have been extensively eroded by
wind and water (Makoshika State Park in Montana
is also a badlands formation.) Located on the edge
of the Great Plains, Badlands National Park can feel
– and look – like a lunar landscape, even though the
prairielands section of the Park is filled with wildlife
roaming the largest expanse of protected prairie
ecosystem in the country. Take a scenic loop tour
around the Park (Highway 240) or get up close and
personal on one of the hiking trails. For the best
photos, catch the Park at dawn and dusk.

Crazy Horse Memorial
The world’s largest stone sculpture – which
is still under construction – began in 1948 by
Korczak Ziolkowski, a man with a dream. He
spent his life working on this carving of an Indian
man astride a spirited warhorse. Leaving his wife
and children with the plans to finish the project
after his death, Ziolkowski’s dream endures at the
site near Custer.

Scenic Drives
The scenery in South Dakota is, indeed,
spectacular, and you can view it on outstanding
scenic drives that include US Highway 385
(the Black Hills Parkway), Highway 240 in the
Badlands, Spearfish Canyon’s Highway 14A (a
National Scenic Byway), and Highway 44 (the

4.
6.

5.

7.

Rimrock Highway). The 70-mile Peter Norbeck
Scenic Byway (which includes Needles
Highway into Mt. Rushmore) was designated
one of the 10 Most Outstanding Byways in
America. It’s an oval-shaped loop that winds
through tunnels, hairpin curves, wildlife
preserves, state parks and spiral pigtail bridges.
If you’d prefer a scenic biking or hiking trail,
choose a portion of the 109-mile long George S.
Mickelson trail, which follows an abandoned
railroad line through the heart of the Black
Hills.

Deadwood
An 1876 gold rush created the miners’ camp
called Deadwood. Now a National Historic
Landmark and known as “America’s Restored
Gold Camp,” Deadwood is a fun trip into our
country’s gold-rush past, which included visits

from Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok.
Originally noted for its bordellos, dance halls,
saloons and card parlors, Deadwood is now
known for its rich mining history. Here you
can gamble at one of the city’s 80 gaming halls,
tour the historical Main Street, enjoy a drink at
the museum-like Old Style Saloon 10, witness a
shoot-out, stand at Wild Bill’s gravesite or pan
for gold at the Broken Boot Mine.

Success
in school, and
in life.

Spending a summer at Sylvan
will do more than just keep
your child busy. A personalized
summer learning plan can
build the skills, habits and
attitudes your child needs
for lifelong success.

Off the beaten path
Other unusual places of note include Wall
Drug in Wall, SD, and the Dances with Wolves
film set in Fort Hays, where chuckwagon
suppers are also available. If you’ve got time
and inclination, travel farther east to Mitchell
for a tour of the Corn Palace or to DeSmet to
visit Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Little Town on the
Prairie.

GETTING THERE / RESOURCES
Rapid City, SD is about 320 miles from Billings (via I-90), which is in the heart of the Badlands area
and could serve as your home base for discovering the area.
Visitor Center: The Black Hills Visitor Information Center is located at 1851 Discovery Circle in
Rapid City (605-355-3700).
Park Pass: For great value, consider purchasing the America the Beautiful Parks Pass at any of the
Parks. For only $80, it will get you and a car of three other adults into any Federal Recreation area
that charges a fee for a year from the date of purchase. If you’re 62 or older, you can get a lifetime
pass for only $10.
The Black Hills, Badlands and Lakes Association website (www.blackhillsbadlands.com) is an
outstanding resource for planning your trip. Here you’ll find maps, coupons, travel planning
guides, places to stay, suggestions for dining and a whole list of other activities – golfing,
horseback riding, rock collecting, kayaking, wind surfing, mountain biking and gold panning –
available in the area. Other useful websites include:
Deadwood: www.deadwood.org
Black Hills Tourism: www.blackhillstouristinfo.com
All Black Hills: www.allblackhills.com
South Dakota Department of Tourism: www.travelsd.com
Badlands National Park, National Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

Sylvan will develop a program
to help your child keep up over
summer break.
We have flexible summer
hours to accommodate your
busy summer lifestyle.
It’s a fun approach that
inspires summer learning.

Certified teachers working with
your student in an exciting
academic atmosphere will keep
skills sharp throughout the summer.

Start Any Time on
an Individual Schedule
We work with students of ALL ages.
CALL NOW!

By Gail Hein
In the Old West when a man extended his hand,
sometimes there was a gun in it. A loaded gun. Harvey
“Kid Curry” Logan made a name for himself as an outlaw in
eastern Montana at the turn of the 20th century, both as a
killer and a train robber. His outlaw career probably began
in the area of modern day Landusky and Zortman, Mont.,
although he was wanted in Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota,
Nevada, Idaho, Texas, Tennessee and Colorado and was
pursued by the Pinkerton Detectives throughout the West.
Photos courtesy of www.legendsofamerica.com

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

legends

During his lifetime, the Kid was
wanted on warrants for 15 murders, but
it was generally known that he had killed
more than twice that number, many of
whom were lawmen. William Pinkerton,
head of the Pinkerton Detective Agency,
called Kid Curry the most vicious outlaw
in America. “He has not one single
redeeming feature,” Pinkerton wrote.
(Legends of America, Warsaw, Mo.)

Will the real Kid Curry
please stand up?
Novels, movies – “Butch Cassidy and
the Sundance Kid” to name but one – even
a television show have featured or included
Kid Curry’s exploits with endlessly
conflicting descriptions.
• Was Harvey Logan born in Iowa? Or
Kentucky? Both have been “authenticated.” The
date stands as 1867.
• Did he father as many as 85 children through
liaisons with prostitutes? The claims of dozens of
“Curry Kids” exist. He is also said to have had
eight legitimate children in South America.
• Cornered by the law, did Curry commit
suicide? Or had he swapped identities with
another man who did so. Even exhumation did
not conclusively settle the question.

40 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Reputed to be the wildest
of the Wild Bunch, Curry
was a key player in the
robbery of the Great
Northern Express train at
Wagner, Mont...Kid Curry
leaped from his galloping
horse onto the rear of the
baggage car, crawled over
the roof and hid in the
tender.
Such a tangled web of conflicting documents,
legends and popular versions of the life and
crimes of Harvey Kid Curry Logan presents a
conundrum with no possible definitive outcome.
And thereby hangs the tale.

To catch a train
Reputed to be the wildest of the Wild Bunch,
Curry was a key player in the robbery of the
Great Northern Express train at Wagner, Mont.,
in a heart-pounding scenario much as it was
portrayed in the popular Butch Cassidy movie –
historians and movie buffs alike will recognize

the following scenes:
The engineer and conductor of the
Great Northern told the jury how
their train had been robbed on July 3,
1901. When the train halted at Malta,
the Sundance Kid boarded the coach
as a paying passenger. Meanwhile,
Kid Curry leaped from his galloping
horse onto the rear of the baggage car,
crawled over the roof and hid in the
tender.
At exactly 2 p.m. Kid Curry dropped
into the locomotive cab, waving two
six-shooters. Simultaneously, the
Sundance Kid closed his watch and
began shooting holes in the roof above
the passengers’ heads, announcing,
“Don’t worry, we only want the
railroad’s money, not yours.”
Leaving the passenger coaches
stranded on the prairie, the outlaws forced the
engineer to haul the express car seven miles
up the tracks. Butch Cassidy and Deaf Charlie
Hanks waited with a box of dynamite and a
string of horses. Their take was $44,000, more
than half a million in today’s dollars.

A smart-dressing
(and undressing) dandy
Kid Curry had a rather lofty opinion of
himself.
“I will show these people that they are not

Kid Curry in Popular Media
Curry appears as the primary villain in Gerald Kolpan’s
critically-acclaimed 2009 novel, “Etta.” The book tells
the story of the Wild Bunch and Butch and Sundance
through the eyes of Etta Place, Sundance’s alleged lover.
Curry is a central character in “Mr American”
by George MacDonald Fraser (1998).
Benjamin E. Murphy co-starred as Kid Curry in the
ABC television 1979 series “Alias Smith and Jones.”
In the 1969 American Western film “Butch Cassidy
and the Sundance Kid,” Ted Cassidy played Kid Curry/
Harvey Logan.

Left: Harvey “Kid Curry” Logan with Annie Rogers,
prostitute who later became his wife.
Above: Curry rolling a cigarette.

dealing with a soft thing. They call me “The
Napoleon of Crime” and you should see how they
flock when a trial is on.” (Richard Sheppard, Old
News, Vol. 22 No. 4)
When traveling on trains rather than
robbing them, the Kid often carried with him
an expensive wardrobe.
Two young prostitutes told Pinkerton
detectives that the Kid was a ‘sweet and bashful
person’ who had tried to impress them by
boasting, “My underwear comes from the finest
men’s shop in Denver, Colorado.” (Sheppard)
Ultimately captured near Knoxville, Tenn.,
Curry stood trial and was convicted of the
Montana train robbery. On Nov. 30, 1902, he
was sentenced to 20 years at hard labor in the

federal penitentiary at Columbus, Ohio. While
awaiting appeal, Curry engineered an ingenious
escape using wire stripped from a broom in his
cell to lasso a guard.

Dead at 37. Or maybe 76?
Using the alias “Tap Duncan,” Kid Curry
may have been one of three bandits who robbed
a Denver & Rio Grande Railroad train at
Parachute, Colo., on June 7, 1904. A posse trailed
the outlaws to a gully near Rifle, Colo. Wounded
and surrounded, Tap Duncan shot himself in
the head to avoid capture and prison.
The gun used by Duncan was traced to Kid
Curry. A month later, the body was exhumed
and identified as Curry. However, W. T. Canada,

chief of detectives with the Union Pacific
Railroad, vehemently disagreed and refused to
pay the reward.
Others purport that Kid Curry gave up his
criminal career and bought a ranch some 300
miles south of Buenos Aires in Argentina. There
he married a Spanish woman who bore him
eight children. According to Logan’s grandson,
the infamous Kid Curry, “Napoleon of Crime,”
died in Argentina in 1941 at the age of 76. (“Kid
Curry’s Escape to Infamy” - Kerry Ross Boren)
Whether to romanticize or to vilify – that
is the question. Meanwhile, we recognize that a
“legend” often adds up to less than the sum of its
parts.

Seven dog years
ago (roughly 50 years)
I met Shep, a dog that
set the standard for
his time and place. My
four siblings and I
had eroded our dad’s
resistance and on a
spring day he loaded
us all in the Buick and
drove to a neighbor’s
farm. There we found
six spotted puppies

pets

cuddled with their

SPECIAL

mother in the barn
straw. The dominant

Section

breed appeared to be
border collie, but the
genetics were a little
quirky and mostly
dependent on the
neighboring dogs. The
term “pedigree” was
unfamiliar when it came
to farm dogs.

Sic ‘Em
By Gene Colling

42 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Picking up on this, my siblings and I also used the “sic
Dad was an astute judge of animals and
While we viewed
‘em” command for our amusement. Just like he had
carefully looked over the litter before making
a selection. Next came a confounding farmer
Shep primarily as a learned the dividing line between protected and free
game critters, Shep learned the nuances of “sic ‘em!”
financial transaction that started when Dad
pet and playmate,
For example, he knew when the command meant to
pulled out a dollar bill and offered it to his
herd cattle and sheep, kill a rodent, or when directed
friend, Alvin. Professing outrage, Alvin said
our dad used him
at one of our town cousins, to take it just far enough so
he wasn’t going to take money for a dog. With
they soiled themselves.
equal bluster, Dad insisted on paying for the
to help in one of
At heart, Shep had a gentle soul. Though he tried to
dog. This went for several rounds and even got
the main farm
put on a good show of bluff and bluster, it was thinly
a little physical until a quarter was agreed on
veiled. Hard boiled traveling salesmen were good
as payment.
chores, herding
judges of farm dog temperament, and they could easily
On the drive home my brothers and sisters
and I came up with a name. After Spotty
animals. Shep was size him up. They would call Shep’s bluff, and he would
skulk away. The only other thing that could crack his
was considered and rejected, Dad suggested
bravado was thunder. He would cower and look for
hardwired to herd
Shep. We didn’t get around much, and were
cover from an approaching prairie storm. It was the
unaware that Shep was the name de jour of
and it only took
only thing that could coerce him into a vehicle or the
just about every farm dog. We thought we had
house.
exclusive rights to the name, but no matter. It
minimal training
Shep’s herding instinct was almost his undoing. He
fit him to a tee.
could not resist chasing every vehicle that came down
After a couple stressful days of separation
for him to get the
the gravel road. He chased the mail car with particular
anxiety, Shep quickly adapted to the life of
hang of it.
zest until the mail man began throwing fire crackers
his ancestors. He moved to his permanent
out the window. Getting run over was a common
operating base on the front porch of the house.
demise of many farm dogs and Shep had some close
He stayed there year-round even on polar cold
winter nights. His only shelter was straw bales arranged as a wind block. encounters, including going under the wheel of a tractor. He shook it
A farm dog had a real role to play and was looked on not only as a pet off and after a couple days of rest was fit as ever. Cuts and scrapes were
cured by licking his wounds, and in severe cases, an application of the allbut a working member of the family.
We taught Shep the basics. Besides responding to his name, we purpose salve dad kept on hand.
trained him to sit and shake hands. This he did with endless patience For all his farm sense, Shep turned out to be a terrible hunting dog.
even after a hard day trotting after a tractor in the fields. Shep considered The first time we took him he spotted a pheasant and bolted after it. He
it his duty to accompany the tractor up and down the rows even on the did not stop, and we could see pheasants flushing until they looked like
hottest days. He would take occasional breaks to chase down jack rabbits dots on the horizon. We shook hands on it and left him home during
that were spooked from cover. On the sprint home he would flare off and hunting season from then on.
take a swim in the stock pond for his daily bath. Then it was back to the Shep was still going strong when I left the farm to go to college. Because
porch and an evening meal of table scraps. He would never know the taste of his unchaperoned social life, I’m sure that he left his mark behind when
of store bought dog food. By today’s standards, that sounds brutal but he he did go at the ripe age of 16 years. He had lived a hard life in which only
enjoyed vigorous health for 16 years and never once visited a veterinarian. the most fit survived. His character and resilience were likely passed on
Shep supplemented his diet with various varmints like mice, rats, for a few more generations.
rabbits and gophers. He intrinsically knew how to separate the protected As family farms began to disappear, so did farm dogs. After leaving
critters, like chickens and sheep, from fair game farm pests. This was a the farm I moved to an urban lifestyle and over the years our family had
monumental test of will power because to a dog, chicken and sheep are urban dogs – a cairn terrier, miniature schnauzer and now a poodle. It
saddens me to see a dog that is bred to work languishing in a yard. So
just begging for it.
While we viewed Shep primarily as a pet and playmate, our dad used when I look over to see Gracie the poodle grooming like a cat, I imagine
him to help in one of the main farm chores, herding animals. Shep was an ancient wolf is turning over in its grave. But I take some comfort
hardwired to herd and it only took minimal training for him to get the in knowing that Gracie has nothing better to do. I take more comfort
hang of it. Dad taught him the command, “sic em, Shep” and he was off knowing that I once had a real dog – the only dog I ever knew who
understood “sic ‘em!”
like a bullet.

m,Shep!
MAGIC I may 2011 I 43

MONTANA PERSPECTIVES

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48 I may 2011 I MAGIC

A wagging tail, a calming purr,
a cheerful chirp, our pets are more than
four-legged friends â&#x20AC;&#x201C; theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re family.
This special Pets Section examines the
curious bond we have with our pets, why
we indulge them, how they bring us sheer
joy and what we learn from each other.

For the Love of Pets: Opening hearts and homes
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter: A kennel with a cause
Creature Comforts: Go ahead, make their day
MAGIC I may 2011 I 49

pets
SPECIAL

Section

for the love of

50 I may 2011 I MAGIC

“We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even
more temporary than our own, live within a fragile
circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its
awful gaps, we would still live no other way. We cherish
memory as the only certain immortality, never fully
understanding the necessary plan...”
­­— Irving Townsend
“The Once Again Prince”

Animal companions provide us joy and heartache, love and
heartbreak, and in many homes they are loved as family. We

enter into relationships with animals in most cases knowing we will
outlive our beloved pets, and yet we give fully of our lives, our time and
our hearts. While it seems at times animals are too fragile for this earth,
our time together is repaid tenfold in the unequivocal love they give.

Dr. Jean Albright, DVM, has been in the veterinarian profession for

more than 35 years. She equates the relationship between pet and
owner to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s novella, “The Little Prince.”

pets

Citing a passage from the story, Dr. Albright explains her go-to

reference for why people love their pets. The fox says to the Little Prince,
“To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other
foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will
be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world...”

“‘I am beginning to understand,’ said the little prince. ‘There is a

flower...I think that she has tamed me...’”

“When the little prince talks to the fox about his rose, it is so profound,”

Dr. Albright said. “We value what we nurture. Where my cat to someone
else is just a cat, to me he is really special.”

by anna paige • photography by casey riffe

Veterinarian Dr. Jean Albright with her
dogs Penny, right, Poncho, left, cat Panda,
and three of her horses at her home.

MAGIC I may 2011 I 51

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It can be a
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52 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Amy and Bill Brown of Billings are pictured with their pets. From left, Dixie, an Airedale Terrier mix, Max, a
Bichon Frise, and Lexy, an Old English Sheepdog.

Beneficial bonds
Dr. Albright grew up on a ranch near
Custer, Mont., surrounded by animals. “When
I was young and was upset, I always went to
the animals. Animals offer safety to children
because they don’t judge, and they’re always
there.”
From the barnyard to the home front,
historically pets and their owners have strong
bonds. From these ties, pet ownership is thought
to provide therapeutic and health benefits to
the caregiver. Owning pets is theorized to hold
a multitude of benefits, from lowering blood
pressure to preventing heart disease and helping
individuals fight depression. In studies, people
who own pets have also been found to laugh
more and have lower levels of stress than those
who do not have pets.
Dr. Albright maintains there is a reason
for every animal in our lives. “My needy
little Australian Shepherd is there to teach

me patience,” she said. “My ‘Steady Eddie,’ a
greyhound mix, is like the rock in my life.”

For the love of dog
Amy Brown has opened her heart and home
to many rescued dogs and said the relationship
is mutually beneficial.
“Animals reward our need to love, and you
know that you’ve made their life better for the
time that they’ve been with you,” Brown said.
Brown and her husband Bill have adopted
or rescued eight dogs since becoming married,
starting with their respective dogs.
“They were very happy we got married
because they were best friends,” Brown said.
When her dog passed away, she said Bill’s lab
was so distraught she wouldn’t even go out by
herself.
“She would just wait for him,” Brown
described. Soon after, they got a puppy and
named him Jetson. This pup turned out to be

a “nasty little dog,” Brown describes. “The
‘grateful dog syndrome’ (a term Brown uses to
describe a rescued animal’s gratitude toward
its savior) doesn’t apply when they are still
puppies,” she said. Despite all the dog’s quirks,
the reciprocal love made it all worthwhile.
“Love won’t conquer all, but love and
training do help with most everything,” Brown
maintains.
Brown grew up on a farm in Basin, Wyo.
Her desire to rescue dogs stems from her belief
that animals need human companions as much
as humans need them.
“We had some great dogs,” she recalls. Her
father – an animal lover – helped instill in her
a compassion and love of animals. “My earliest
memory is of a dog that was always at my side,”
she said. “I don’t know that she particularly
liked me until I got older, but she was always
there protecting me.”
Brown raised her children around dogs,
and had a Labrador that would lie beneath
their bassinets, alerting Brown when the baby
had awakened. As her children grew up around
dogs, she found the pet/caregiver relationship
taught them empathy. Brown does caution that
“children are very curious, and dogs are dogs,
and you don’t know when some ancient instinct
is going to flip the switch, so you must protect
them from each other.”
The Browns currently have three dogs, an
old English sheep dog named Lexy, an Airedale
mix named Dixie (after the children’s book of
the same name), and a feisty and aging Bichon
Frise named “Macho” Max.
“The only bad thing is that they aren’t with

us long enough,” she said.

Saying goodbye
When animals pass on, they leave a vacuum
in our hearts and small ghosts in our memories.
“Another dog never fills that void,” Brown said.
“They fill the space and the time, but not the
hole.”
Brown lost two of her dogs at the sixth
birthday mark. “Now when one of my animals
turns six, I feel like I’m on borrowed time,” she
said. Brown recalled the extreme emotion of
losing a beloved pet dog. “We worked so hard to
keep him alive, when we finally let go, just what
do you do with yourself after that sustained
intensity?”
As a vet, Dr. Albright is often asked when
it’s time to let go, and she replies, “When you
look at them and it hurts more to watch them
than to let them go. Then it’s time.” She has
“been around the block quite a few times with
animals,” but said she still has a very hard time
letting them go. “It’s like saying goodbye to a
little kid because animals are little kids their
whole life.”
Dr. Albright carried one of her arthritis
dogs up and down the stairs, holding onto him
longer that most people thought she should.
“For everyone it’s different,” she said. “That’s
one area that I am pretty nonjudgmental. Some
hang onto them longer than others.”
Despite the heartbreak of losing pets,
Brown can’t imagine her life without dogs.
“I wish they would stay with me longer, but
I have to believe that it is as worth it for them
as it is for me.”

Our Domesticated Darlings
American’s love of pets is deeply engrained in our social fabric. The animal
fascination surfaced in the 17th century in early portraits of children with animals.
In these works, animals retained a close proximity to nature, their ‘‘pet’’ status
ambiguous, according to Roberta J. M. Olson and Kathleen Hulser in their study,
“Petropolis: a social history of urban animal companions.”
Olson and Hulser maintain the wild kingdom moved from the pastures to
American backyards in the 19th century, as the rise of household pets paralleled the
decline of raising livestock.
“The popularity of pets blossomed as part of an idealized picture of the family
that recruited its members from all parts of the animal kingdom. The notion of
domestic companions embraced not only the familiar cat and dog, but also exotic
birds, tropical fish, primates, snakes and even rats,” the researchers described.
According to a recent survey conducted by the American Pet Products
Association, 62 percent of U.S. homes, or nearly 73 million households, have at least
one pet. Of those households, nearly half of pet owners consider their pets to be “part
of the family,” the American Medical Veterinary Association estimates.
With more than 72 million pet dogs and nearly 82 million pet cats in the U.S.,
these furry companions are deeply entwined in our lives.

MAGIC I may 2011 I 53

the yellowstone valley anim

a kennel with a
by laura tode â&#x20AC;˘ photography by casey riffe

pets
SPECIAL

Section

54 I may 2011 I MAGIC

al shelter:

cause

b

By anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guess, the tiny

tabby was about four weeks old when
she was dropped off at the Yellowstone
Valley Animal Shelter. Her mother had
been hit by a car, and at that age, she
would not have survived alone on the
streets. At the shelter, her chances
among so many adult cats were only
slightly better, but the director,
Chris Anderson,
saw a spark
in the tiny
kittenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
clear green
eyes.

MAGIC I may 2011 I 55

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“My job and the job
of our staff is to be
here for you no matter
what. We’ll take your
animals, and we’ll help
you through this and
help those animals find
good homes.”
­­— Chris Anderson, director,
Yellowstone Valley
Animal Shelter

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The Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter
takes in strays and unwanted animals from
throughout Billings. No pet, no matter its health,
age or temperament is turned away, and when
space is available, the shelter will take adoptable
animals from the surrounding area. The goal is
to find forever homes for all of them.

Happy home
Looking at the kitten – a manx with
white flashes on her face and toes – Anderson
remembered a woman who had come in the day
before looking for a male manx kitten. This one,
a female, might be the right match, but the kitten
would require some special care. She called the
woman, who agreed to give the kitten a home.

She named her Poppie and nursed her through
several weeks of health issues.
Poppie’s story is hardly unusual. The way
Anderson puts it, “That’s what we do.”
“We’re about transition - helping people
who are in transition and whose animals are in
transition,” she added.
The non-profit shelter first contracted with
the City of Billings two years ago. Since then,
adoption rates have gone up 66 percent for dogs
and are up 32 percent for cats. In the past year,
Anderson and her staff found homes for 642
dogs and 555 cats. They reunited almost 900 lost
dogs and cats with their owners. Several other
dogs and cats were placed with purebred rescue
organizations or went to families for long-term

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foster care. They’ve also taken in
Anderson said, are some of the
other critters like rabbits, ferrets,
hardest ones she’s ever made.
birds and hamsters, gerbils and
“I rarely go through a day without
guinea pigs and successfully found
crying,” said Anderson. “I wish I
homes for many of them as well.
could say they’re all tears of joy,
When it comes to finding forever
but it’s like anything, if you let it
homes for the animals at the shelter,
overwhelm you, it will.”
Anderson and her staff take special
Anderson and her staff focus on
care getting to know the prospective
the reunions between lost pets and
owners. They help them fill out the
their owners, and the new bonds
application, and ask lots of questions
they help create through adoptions.
about lifestyle, living arrangements
“If you think of the positive
and personal interests. Their answers
changes you can make, that will
help the staff make a perfect match.
help you get through it,” Anderson
“We have people come into
said.
the shelter looking for a dog
“We really see the reality, and
Nicole Thompson, assistant director, Yellowstone Valley Animal
and leave with a cat because
it
gives
us a better and bigger
Shelter
they find out that’s what is
perspective,” Anderson said.
best for their lifestyle,” Anderson said.
Although Anderson has seen the best and
a majority of the funding necessary to keep the
shelter open, but doesn’t cover the whole cost of the worst of Billings’ pet owners, she’s never
operations, Anderson said. Donations of cash, judgmental and is always compassionate. She
Compassionate caregivers
pet food, and towels and blankets are always understands that sometimes circumstances
When people release their pets to the shelter,
force pet owners to release their animals to the
needed.
they’re charged a $20 fee to help cover the cost
The Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter is shelter. When that happens, Anderson is ready
of housing the animal until a suitable home
what’s called a low-kill shelter. Because they with open arms.
is found for it. Adoption fees, which include
can’t turn any animal way, they have the difficult “My job and the job of our staff is to be here for
vaccinations, are about $75, unless an animal
job of deciding which ones have the best odds you no matter what,” Anderson said. “We’ll take
needs to be spayed or neutered. Then, it’s an
of finding new homes. Animals not suitable your animals, and we’ll help you through this and
additional $50 for the surgery.
for adoption are euthanized. Those decisions, help those animals find good homes.”
The contract with City of Billings provides

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MAGIC I may 2011 I 59

Department of Public Health & Human Services

The Rogue Gallery
Bubba

These dogs and cats, along with many other highlyadoptable animals, are currently available at the
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter. For more information
about animal adoption, contact the YVAS or visit a Billings
area animal shelter. For a statewide listing of adoptable
pets, check out www.montanapets.org.

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Like tomcats of all species, he arrived at his future home
in the dark just before dawn. Attracted by a faint aroma of
trout wafting from a box-sled used for ice fishing, the orange
ring-tail was looking for breakfast.
wind and provided a supplemental income of an occasional mouse.
They named him Slot Machine after the oneeyed bandit that took quarters in the eyeball on the
upper left side – not the electronic kind, but the illegal, pull-handle version hidden in the back room of
fraternal organizations across the state or promoted
in Nevada. The cat’s eye was open but unseeing just
as its namesake. Sympathy absent in both.
He made a strange pet. Distant and aloof – redundant when describing felines – he was a conversation piece, much like a weird work of art picked out
by a hippie girlfriend from a visit to Seattle.
On weekends, when the population of the cabin
increased several fold, he would climb one of the
posts supporting the open rafters in the living room which was
warmed by a barrel stove welded
together by one of the train repairmen.
It was a refuge, a bell tower for a
Quasimodo puss to ponder the activity below without partaking. He
By Jim Gransbery • Illustration by Lee Hulteng could lounge in an atmosphere of
rustic luxury – warm, safe, enveldairy devoured, he looked for a warming nook. A oped in a blue haze that made him a mellow yellow
wood box to the right of the door was topped with a tom, a cool dude enjoying the in-crowd scene.
wool blanket under a saddle. The lean visitor sprang He enjoyed music. Country, of course.
A reprise of classics by pianist Leon Russell who
up, slid under the saddle, curled and snoozed off.
It was an auspicious turn of luck for a cat who’d pounded out George Jones and Hank Williams like
a juke-box seemed to fit the cat’s sensitivities. “Lost
already used up at least seven of his nine lives.
A run-in with a much larger object, a vehicle pos- Highway” served as his theme song, too. More to the
sibly, left him damaged and disfigured. The right side point was his favorite.
of his face resembled that of a prize fighter on the
“I’ve been living a new way of life that I love so. I can
receiving end of Joe Louis’ jabs and left hooks.
His right eye was blind; when he slept the eyelid see the clouds a gathering and the storm will wreak
did not close. The upper right lip was torn away ex- our home....You must have thought that I was sleepposing the fang which hung out, threatening a vam- ing. Lord, I wish that I had been. For I’ve been watchpire chomp or snake strike. Hair regrowth covered a ing from the window up above.”
scar running from the lip to under his ear. The voice
box had survived, but with the gravel tone accentu- Nothin’ lasts forever. Even for cats with extended
ated to baritone, though he was neither a Mad Dog longevity. He could see with his good eye that the
party time below would eventually run out. Better to
nor Englishman.
He was not a nice little kitty cat fit for kids. He leave before the tenants were removed by nefarious
circumstance.
was a gambler.
It took a week or more before he ventured into After a few months stay, he left as he arrived. In
the cabin. Though invited, he did not warm quickly the dark, he wandered off. At first they did not miss
to the three rough inhabitants of the forest home. him, but after three days it was certain he was gone.
Wariness defined him. Regular meals on the porch The end probably came at the fangs of another tom
twice a day became the habit. Shelter in a small ga- or maybe a coyote.
rage filled with a boat and junk kept him out of the Or, maybe he just ran out of quarters.
Spooked, as the log cabin’s three inhabitants
emerged for a day of gandy-dancing in the cold, the
disabled feline scampered off the porch toward the
brush along the creek that gurgled nearby, flowing
under a layer of ice that thickened almost daily.
One of the men heard the fur ball’s voice scratching the frosted air like Joe Cocker on his worst night.
Pity won over.
Returning to the cabin, the bearded railroader
placed a saucer of milk on the porch and a few scraps
intended for fish-head soup, a recipe culled from a
tour-guide for living cheaply in Spain.
As the truck disappeared through a tunnel of
snow-wrapped trees, the cat cautiously approached
the first meal he’d had in days. The repast of fish and

slot machine
They named him
Slot Machine
after the one-eyed
bandit that took
quarters in the eyeball on the upper
left side – not the
electronic kind, but
the illegal,
pull-handle
version...

MAGIC I may 2011 I 63

CULINARY ARTS PROGRAM

64 I may 2011 I MAGIC

starting fresh

:

new program restores self-esteem to inmates
by virginia bryan photography by james woodcock

MAGIC I may 2011 I 65

For those who don’t like
gardening, the planting, weeding
and harvesting of a large,
unfenced flower and vegetable
garden on an open lot on
Billings’ south side might sound
like a colossal chore.
But to Erinn White, serving
a 10-year prison sentence
for forgery, and Joette Small,
serving a 10-year sentence for
assault with a weapon, it’s a big
deal. Erinn and Joette quickly
identified their favorite part of
the expansive garden behind
Passages, a residential prerelease center located in the
former Howard Johnson Hotel
on South 27th Street. They both
said, almost in unison, “There’s
no fence! We’re outside! There’s
no fence!”

A Montana first

CAP plans, prepares and
serves 1,000 meals daily...
After Erinn and Joette put
in eight hours a day in the
kitchen and classroom, they
have homework, exercise,
chores and recovery classes
to attend.

Before entering Passages,
Erinn and Joette were inmates
at the Montana Women’s Prison (MWP). Any outside time at MWP
was in a confined, barricaded area. But now, they are part of Passages’
Culinary Arts Program (CAP). Learning to garden, store and prepare
the food they grow is part of the curriculum.

66 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Since 2007, Passages has
provided correction options for
women under the auspices of
Alternatives, Inc. In 2010, the
Montana Department of Labor
and Industry certified Passages’
CAP as a Pre-Apprentice
training program. It’s the first of
its kind in Montana.
For Erinn and Joette, CAP
Pre-Apprentice
certification
means that, upon graduation,
they’ll be employable in a
commercial food service. Their
CAP training could apply to
further study and examination
for professional chef status.
Studies show a direct correlation
between the ability to support
oneself at a living wage and
lower rates of recidivism.
Simply, trade certification and
vocational training translate
into marketable skills at living
wages.
Meanwhile, it’s the garden
time that Erinn and Joette love. They consider hoeing, raking and
weeding in the fresh air under the open sky to be hard-earned, highlyvalued privileges.
I met Erinn and Joette recently in the office of Carlee Johnson,

CAP’s program manager. Carlee’s office is a converted motel room
with linoleum floors, a stainless steel counter with bar stools and
steel shelves lined with cookbooks, homemade preserves and canned
vegetables. As we chatted, I could see the three of them and Head Chef
Allan Maust at the same counter another day, in their chef coats and
caps, discussing recipe conversions from metric measurements and
common substitutions for alcoholic ingredients.

It’s no cakewalk
Carlee created a curriculum based upon the classic Le Cordon Bleu
Professional Cooking text and on-the-job training. Carlee and Allan
teach Erinn, Joette and others the finer points of a good pie crust and
other pastries, how to make a tomato sauce from scratch without it
tasting like ketchup, French cooking terminology and the importance
of presentation and food safety.
“It’s no cakewalk,” said Carlee, adding one part seriousness and
one part jest to the conversation. CAP plans, prepares and serves 1,000
meals daily. Sometimes edible pansies and zucchini blossoms make it
to the table as garnish. After Erinn and Joette put in eight hours a day
in the kitchen and classroom, they have homework, exercise, chores
and recovery classes to attend. Their days are rigorous. CAP women
volunteer their time making food baskets for the YWCA basket
auction, preparing banquet fare for the annual P.E.A.K.S. cancer
fundraiser, serving Thanksgiving dinner at the Billings Food Bank and
baking treats for four-legged residents at the Billings Animal Shelter.
“We’re happy to have an opportunity to give back to our
community,” Erinn said. Carlee is quick to acknowledge the Billings
community for the job opportunities, financial and educational
support given. The Billings Soroptimist Club holds bi-weekly meetings
at Passages with lunch fare provided by CAP. Soroptimists have also
underwritten specific CAP projects. Members of the local cooks and
chefs association have called with job openings at their restaurants and
worksites.

A long road
For Erinn, the community’s support has met a very basic need.
“They have believed in us,” she said. Giving back is an emotional
subject for Erinn. The skin on her neck turns pinkish-red and her
eyes get moist. “Before CAP, I lost it all. My family, my self-worth,
my dignity. This program has given me a chance to want to be myself
again.”
Not unlike many others, Erinn’s story began in a small, Montana
Hi-line town, with a supportive family, a couple years of college and a
good job. It all imploded when her gambling addiction led to serious,
criminal behavior.
Joette never enjoyed the early life stability Erinn had. Born on a
Montana Indian reservation and the oldest of 12 siblings, Joette was her
mother’s kitchen and child care assistant at an early age. She married
young and soon found herself with children of her own. “To numb
the pain” she turned to drinking, she said. For Joette, CAP provides “a
structure and stablility” she’s never experienced.
Joette, older than Erinn, with beautiful brown skin and salt and
pepper hair pulled into a long braid, was in and out of jail and alcohol
treatment before she landed in the Montana Women’s Prison (MWP).
While only a few blocks separate the MWP from Passages, for Joette, it
was a long road. It took three classes in behavioral management, a year
of good behavior and permission from the Parole Board before she was
allowed to enroll in CAP.
Joette is determined. “I won’t give up. No matter what,” she says.
“This will lead to a better life outside.”
Continued on page 70

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MAGIC I may 2011 I 67

Above: Jan Begger, director of Passages, in front of the former Howard Johnson that is now Passages prerelease center. Above right: Carlee Johnson, CAP program manager, with
Erinn and Joette.

Looking on the bright side
Addiction therapy is a big component
of the Passages curriculum. Drugs, alcohol,
gambling and other addictions have played
a role in the crimes leading to incarceration
for most women there. Other factors include
limited education, sexual, physical and
emotional abuse. Journaling and reading
are two tools used in recovery. One therapist
requires students to write a daily haiku, a form
of Japanese poetry with a specific phrasing
and syllabic structure. It is never easy to share
one’s story, let alone a poem you’ve written.
Erinn is one courageous woman:

Today, I’m lucky.
The choppy waters are calm
And I can swim free.

When we met, Joette had started her day
on the 4:30 a.m. shift. Erinn’s work day started
a few hours later. They don’t mind the long
days and early morning hours. Both women,
identified by their black and white skull caps
as juniors, are looking at another 12 months
of training before graduation and life “on the
outside.”
“Every day is a day closer to home,” Erinn
said. “Every day I’m healthier and headed in
the right direction.”
Joette also looks at the bright side. “I like to
be busy,” she said. Joette has a reputation for
leaving the kitchen spotless and Erinn couldn’t
resist some light-hearted teasing. Apparently,
Joette expects the same from her classmates.
And despite restrictions and the underlying
seriousness of their situations, the women are
in good spirits. “I don’t have to drive to work,”
Joette said. “It’s not far to go. I don’t have
to buy car insurance. If you have any more
questions, you know where to find us. We are
always here!”

The People Behind the Program
Jan Begger believes corrections work “found her” and not vice-versa. A job at
Alternatives, Inc. fresh out of college led to two decades of work with the non-profit entity.
With a master’s degree in management and licensure as an addictions counselor, she
oversees CAP.
Jan is energized by the creativity of the CAP women and motivated by their successes.
Jan’s management style is guided by a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, who said, “To handle
yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.”
Carlee Johnson, CAP’s youthful, energetic manager, has a unique combination of skills:
food and discipline. Before graduating from the Portland Western Culinary Institute, Carlee
was a platoon leader in the Army National Guard in South Carolina. Within a year of taking
a job at Passages, she was promoted to CAP manager. She is inspired when students
“spread their love of food to family and friends and others outside Passages.”
Carlee learns from her mistakes and encourages students to do the same. She tells
them, “Even if you fall flat on your face, you are still moving forward!”

Allan Maust was happy in his
job at a local hospital when the
opportunity to be Alternative,
Inc.’s Head Chef presented itself.
A graduate of the Montana State
University Billings College of
Technology Culinary Arts Program,
he shares Jan’s joy in watching
his students succeed. He loves
teaching students how to make
Alfredo sauce from scratch and is
delighted when they’re amazed at
its easy preparation.
Chef Allan’s Alfredo Sauce:
Yields 3 cups
2 T. butter
2 T. flour
2 ½ c. heavy cream
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. granulated garlic

Allan Maust, head chef of CAP, works with Erinn on
preparation.

On medium-low heat, melt butter in medium sauce pan, add flour to make a roux (a thickened
mixture). With a wire whip, slowly add heavy cream. Continue to stir over medium-low heat
until mixture begins to thicken. Add parmesan cheese and garlic. Continue to cook for about
two minutes until the flour taste is gone. Serve with your favorite pasta. Bon Appetit!

68 I may 2011 I MAGIC

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going to work, running errands, confident that all
the little cogs that make their world run smoothly
are firmly in place. This article is a tribute to six
outstanding little cogs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; people who devote
themselves to work that contributes mightily to the
good of our community.

What makes our unsung heroes exceptional is

their desire to make our world a better place, not for
recognition or personal glory, but because they truly
believe in their causes. And though they do not need,
nor would they ask for, an article highlighting their
feats, they most definitely deserve our gratitude.

By Katherine Berman

MAGIC I may 2011 I 71

Bob Knight,

Crossing Guard Extraordinaire

After working for more
than 30 years as a
milkman and
10 years at a
convenience store,
no one would have
begrudged Bob Knight
the privilege of retiring
to a life of peace, quiet
and leisure. No one,
that is, except Bob
Knight.

All about kids. During his career as a milkman, Bob sometimes had to work six days a week, and he missed
getting to spend time with his children. Bob’s youngest daughter, now grown, is a teacher in Topeka, Kan. Seeing
her with her students inspired Bob to be around kids again. As a crossing guard, Bob gets to help kids every day in a
position that is not too physically demanding on him.
The curb at Bob’s corner. Bob is not just your average crossing guard. He sometimes buys candy and hands it
out to the kids when he helps them cross. It’s no surprise that when kids waiting to be picked up by their parents are
given the option to wait inside the school or to stand at Bob’s corner, they most often reply, “Bob’s corner!”
Where everybody knows his name. Bob has a collage hanging on the bulletin board in his apartment signed,
“From all us kids.” His favorite part of his job is, “when the kids come up and want to give me a hug, and recognize
my efforts in trying to keep them safe. There’s not one kid in the school who does not know my name, even if I don’t
cross them!”

“As long as
my legs
and health
hold out,
I’ll continue
to do it...”

Above the call of duty. Bob is grateful to vehicles that go out of their way to help with the effort, but wishes that
others would not speed up when they see that kids are waiting at the crosswalk. Recently, Bob had to dash into the
middle of the crosswalk and wave his arms in the air to stop a speeding truck. According to Bob, “It was one of the
closest times I’ve ever come to being hit. I look at these kids as my kids.”
What about Bob? Bob always tries to greet his kids with a “Have a good morning” or “Have a good evening.” He
genuinely appreciates the effort of kids who reciprocate his friendly gestures.
Off-duty hero. When Bob is not helping kids cross the street, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Mary, who
has multiple sclerosis and resides at Billings Health and Rehabilitation Community. “Regardless of the weather, I go
up to see her every afternoon when I am done with my shift. We used to play a lot of cards. Now we mostly just spend
time together.” Bob also collects newspapers and cans and takes them to a recycling enclave behind Albertsons where
the Knights of Columbus retrieve it and insure that the proceeds go to charity.
The Tao of Bob. “Loving your relations and helping your neighbors and those in distress,” according to Bob is
the way to fill your life with joy and happiness. “As long as my legs and health hold out, I’ll continue to do it,” he
promises.
Photography by Casey Riffe

72 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Erin Augustine,

A Very Special Special Education Teacher

Learning is
different for
everyone. So
what would we
do without the
exceptional
teachers who
dedicate their lives
to helping children
who learn in
exceptional ways?

Born to teach. Erin has been a teacher her whole life. “I used to play with my sister who would be my ‘student’ in
school, and we used to get teachers’ editions of books and I would teach her … that was what we did in the summer
for fun!” Erin graduated from Carroll College with a degree in General and Special Education and went on to
receive her masters in Reading from Montana State University and her National Board Certification in Exceptional
Children’s Needs. Even Erin’s summers during college were spent teaching preschool at a Montessori School.

“I love what
I do. I really
do. I get
excited
about seeing
the light bulb
go on in a
student’s
head and
know that
I’ve made an
impact.”

No student left behind. Erin was always drawn to kids for whom learning did not come easily. “When kids
learn in different ways and we accommodate for that, what can seem like such a small step to someone on the outside
looking in is a huge milestone for those students and their families.”
Ready, set, succeed! One of Erin’s most cherished experiences was coaching the Special Olympics for three years.
She loved the opportunity “… to work outside the classroom with students that have significant needs and see them
accomplish a goal in swimming, or track and field, or bowling.”
When you love what you do…Erin struggles to come up with an element of her job that she does not enjoy.
Erin shares, “I love what I do. I really do. I get excited about seeing the light bulb go on in a student’s head and know
that I’ve made an impact.”
Leading by example. Teachers are Erin’s personal heroes. “They have inspired me to do what I do.” Other
exemplary and influential individuals for Erin are her family, as she comes from a background of educators. Erin’s
sister is now an English teacher and her mother is a school psychologist.
Team effort. “When I’ve contacted parents and they’ve contacted me, and we work together for the benefit of one
student and we see the success at the end, those are times that I think, ‘Man, this is awesome.’”
Her philosophy can be summed up by a quote she keeps posted outside her classroom: “Teachers
open the door but you must enter by yourself.”

Photography by Bob Zellar

MAGIC I may 2011 I 73

Deb White, Lead Patient Care Navigator … and so much more

Deb White’s story
is about turning a
personal hardship into
a monumental gain for
cancer patients needing
guidance. Deb is not
only a survivor, but a
role model, mentor and
beacon in her field.

“I wanted to
use my
knowledge
and experience
to help other
cancer
patients...
Deb spotted a
billboard
featuring Billings
Clinic patient care
navigators. “I said to
myself, ‘that’s what I
want to do!’ ”

Caring for life. Deb been a registered nurse since she was 20. “I was a bit of a gypsy,” she notes. For 17 years,
Deb did clinical work in hospitals in Sydney, Mont., Los Angeles, University of Virginia and Washington State.
In the early 90s, she began doing case management – a relatively new field for RNs at the time. In 2000, Deb
moved back to Billings to be near her family.
Lemons to lemonade. In 1998 Deb was working as a nurse in case management when she was unexpectedly
diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately, Deb caught her cancer early and triumphantly finished her therapy
in 2003. Grateful for her survival, Deb felt inspired to do something more meaningful with her life. “I wanted
to use my knowledge and experience to help other cancer patients, but I wasn’t really sure how best to do that.”
One day driving home from work, Deb spotted a billboard featuring Billings Clinic patient care navigators. “I
said to myself, ‘that’s what I want to do!’”
A day in the life. What exactly does a patient care navigator do? “We are a point of contact for the patient and
family. We address their needs, geting them in to wherever they need to go for their diagnosis and treatment.
We also provide educational information about their disease and their treatment plan, and we make referrals to
other resources, such as financial counselors, social workers, dieticians and physicians. Even though we’re based
out of the Cancer Center, we pretty much work with every department in Billings Clinic.
An impressive span. Deb mentors, trains and oversees six other patient care navigators. The navigators stay
with patients from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. “A lot of times a patient I might have seen a year
ago who got all the way through treatment will call because they have a question … it is a lasting relationship.”
Teach a woman to fish. In Deb’s spare time she enjoys volunteering for a national nonprofit breast cancer
support group, Casting for Recovery. “We have annual retreats for 14 women, breast cancer survivors, and we
take them to one of the rivers in Montana and teach them how to fly fish. It takes their minds off of what they’ve
gone through, but also turns out to be a real time for bonding with other women that have gone through the
same things … all at no cost.”
No “I” in team. Deb does not use first person when referring to career and her responsibilities. “We’re
a team – the staff, the patients and their families.”

Patient Bonnie Hentz with Deb
White.

74 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Deb’s key to leading a happy and fulfilling life? “Purpose.”
Photography by David Grubbs (top) & Larry Mayer (left)

Karen Benner,

Witness – Victim Program Advocate

Finding joy and beauty
in this world comes
naturally to Karen,
who strives to help
people out of harmful
situations and assist
them in achieving a
life filled with joy and
peace of mind.

A lifelong mission. “I’ve always tried to help people in need,” says Karen. One of her first jobs was doing social
work at a retirement community. When her daughter was young, Karen volunteered at Child Find – an organization
that prevents child abductions by fingerprinting children and conducting educational programs at the library. Later,
Karen worked as a special education classroom assistant for eight years.
The perfect job. For Karen, becoming a witness-victim advocate was a stroke of destiny. She always had an
interest in criminal justice. In college, Karen completed internships in both juvenile probation and at the women’s
state prison. After graduate school, Karen’s job search coincided with newly-passed legislation for victims’ rights.
She happened upon a job posting for a witness-victim assistant and thought, “This was made for me. What a perfect
combination of helping people who are really in crisis and putting right in the criminal justice system.”

“Letting
victims know
what’s
happening with
their case, what
they can expect in
the future and
trying to build
rapport so they
feel like they have
someone to go to
when things get
tough … and things
often get tough.”

She’ll be there for you. As a witness-victim advocate, Karen provides direct services to victims of domestic
violence, sexual assault and stalking. Karen’s responsibilities include, “Letting victims know what’s happening with
their case, what they can expect in the future and trying to build rapport so they feel like they have someone to go
to when things get tough … and things often get tough.” Karen provides informational and emotional support,
preparing victims for trial and then standing by them throughout the process.
Wonder women work. Karen’s career is not for the faint of heart. She is often privy to things that would be
highly upsetting to the average person. But she asserts, “My colleagues and I are of the ‘we can handle anything’ ilk.
We’re strong women. We just do it.”
The things you cannot change. One of the challenging parts of Karen’s job is dealing with circumstances
that are out of her hands. Karen sometimes must stand by victims that wish to remain in unhealthy situations. “I
tell them, ‘Just know that there are options out there.’ The statistic is that women go through this [an incident of
domestic violence] seven times before they leave the situation for good.”
Heroes among us. Karen feels inspired by the women she has worked to help, many of whom have stayed
in touch with her, carried on in very positive ways, and blossomed. She also has great admiration for “strong
women - people who bring the issue of domestic violence out in the open in a positive way.” Karen implores,
“Don’t turn your head and pretend that domestic violence doesn’t exist. If you know someone who is being
abused, the best thing you can do is be there for them.”
Photography by David Grubbs

MAGIC I may 2011 I 75

Eric Fisher, Dedicated Paramedic

Eric Fisher went to college
to study Organizational
Communications, but it was
his work as a volunteer
firefighter in Lockwood
that ignited his true
passion. That’s where
Eric saw people who were
experiencing various types
of medical crises, and he
wanted to help.

You never forget your first call. When Eric was training to be an EMT, he had an experience that would
forever change his life. “I was working opposite a paramedic who was very good at his job. We got a call that
someone had collapsed at the mall. We were there in minutes and found a 16-year-old girl in full cardiac arrest. The
fire department arrived at the same time we did. We started CPR, intubated and used the defibrillator. We got her
back and she started responding right away – turns out she had a congenital heart defect that she didn’t know about.
She recovered fully and is probably in her 30s by now. I had to become a paramedic after that.”
Pint-sized protection. Eric is inspired by the bravery of children trying to be strong for their family. “I like taking
care of kids, but unfortunately when we get called to help a child, it’s their parents’ worst day. We tell parents all the
time ‘they’re built to last a hundred years.’ Children tend to be much more resilient than their elder counterparts.

“I like taking
care of
kids, but
unfortunately
when we get
called to help a
child, it’s their
parents’ worst
day. We tell
parents all the
time ‘they’re
built to last a
hundred
years.’ ”

76 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Unpredictable you. Eric always expects the unexpected. “This job is different every day. On a rainy day you
might expect a ton of car accidents and it won’t happen. And then we’ll have a nice, dry day – sunny, beautiful – and
we’ll have endless car wrecks. There’s no rhyme or reason.” Theme days are another phenomenon in a day in the life
of a paramedic. “For example, one day half of the patients will be stroke victims or heart attacks. No one can explain
it.” But as far as full moons are concerned, Eric confides, “After 15 years, the full moon thing doesn’t really mean
anything to me.” He adds, “Some of the night people might disagree …”
Get fit. There is an emotional toll to being a paramedic, which results in the average career spanning three-five
years. Eric has been doing this for an impressive 15 years. For Eric, it’s the physical, not emotional, element that will
likely herald his departure. “What’s eventually probably going to take me out of this business is all the heavy lifting
we have to do. It’s not uncommon to see patients weighing more than 400 pounds.”
Get smart. Eric advises curtailing potentially dangerous decisions before disaster has a chance to strike. “Before
you consider trying to beat the odds, consider the likelihood of the odds beating you,” he says. Avoid risky behavior.
Restrain your kids – don’t do things that will endanger them.
I am a lucky man. “I consider it a privilege to do what I do. People call us because they’ve lost control of a
situation. When we arrive on the scene, they’re relying on us to help,” he said. Eric does not consider himself to be
someone special. “I want to be there so I can help, in whatever way is needed.”
Photography by Larry Mayer

Angie Schmidt heads up
PACT – or Program for
Assertive Community
Treatment – which
provides 24-hour wraparound care for mentally
ill clients. Though in
charge, she is quick to
attribute the success of the
program to the cohesion
and dedication of her
phenomenal team.

More than a promise. Under the auspice of the South Central Regional Mental Health Center, the PACT
program serves mentally ill clients on multi-dimensional levels, helping them achieve new levels of independence.
Angie explains, “We refer to our mission as hospitals without walls. Our main goal and focus is to prevent
psychiatric hospitalizations by assisting clients with their activities and daily living.”
A team approach. The PACT team’s care is remarkably thorough and accessible. According to Angie, there are
14 people on the PACT team, including case managers, nurses, psychiatrists, a rehab aid and therapist. The team
currently serves 76 clients.

“We refer to
our mission as
hospitals
without walls.
Our main goal
and focus is
to prevent
psychiatric
hospitalizations by
assisting
clients with
their activities
and daily
living.”
78 I may 2011 I MAGIC

24/7. Angie describes a typical day: “First thing in the morning we do med deliveries. After the morning
delivery, we meet as a group to discuss cases, and then we meet with the psychiatrist. The afternoon is spent doing
a variety of group work, going to doctor appointments and other things that the clients need to do, and then we
deliver evening meds. We run 24/7… there’s always somebody on call.”
Enabling independence. The PACT team works primarily with people diagnosed with schizophrenia,
bi-polar and schizoaffective disorders. For some of these clients, going to the grocery store alone is a huge
achievement. “Seeing a client become independent and able to find part-time employment or being able to go out
in a social setting without someone being there at all times is a major accomplishment,” Angie says. “We have a
female client who is now living independently and working to get her GED. She no longer requires the intensive
program we provide, though she will continue to get the services she needs at a lower level of care. This is the goal
for all clients.”
A compassionate mission. Angie sometimes feels discouraged by the lack of sympathy for those with
mental illness. “Oftentimes people don’t understand the importance of mental health care. It’s difficult to
accompany a client somewhere and see others look at them, or frown at them. We are all human beings. People
who have a mental illness should not be stigmatized.”
Difference maker. Though the PACT team members face challenges every day, they appreciate the rewarding
fruits of their labors. Angie admits, “When we first begin to work with a client, their quality of life is generally
extremely poor. As we observe improvements in their daily activities, I feel hope. That’s what keeps me coming
back every day.”
Photography by James Woodcock

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It’s one of those busy weekdays when
businessmen, college students, delivery
truck drivers and harried moms are pushing
their to-do lists on 27th Street in Billings.
By the hundreds, wheels cross over one of
the major economic lifelines in Yellowstone
County.
“Thuh-thump… thuh-thump” is the
steady beat of the rubber over steel rail, as
the north-south traffic moves along, only
mildly noticing a shuffle in the movement
forward.
Then the bells chime and the rail
crossing arm starts to fall. Traffic is frozen
and annoyance heats up.
But while many drivers might wonder
why the stream of concrete commerce
has to come to a screeching halt, others
understand that the long string of rail cars
means jobs, economic vitality and revenue
for state and local coffers.

A life line
In Yellowstone County, a major player in
the rail game is Montana Rail Link.
Montana Rail Link (MRL), affiliated with the
Washington Companies, has been in operation
since October 1987 after assuming control of the
southern rail route from Burlington Northern.
The company serves more than 100 stations in
Montana, Idaho and Washington.
The rail line was originally part of the
first transcontinental railroad completed by
the Northern Pacific in 1883. According to
company spokeswoman Lynda Frost, the
majority of MRL’s main line is single track with
passing sidings and is controlled by a centralized
traffic control office from the Transportation
Center in Missoula.
Major freight classification yards and car
repair shops are situated at Laurel and Missoula
and the majority of the locomotive maintenance
is done in Livingston. The railroad is one of two
operating within the Washington Companies.

82 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Of MRL’s 950
employees,
335 work out
of the Laurel
and Billings
area. Last
year’s payroll
was more than
$84 million
statewide.
Of MRL’s 950 employees, 335 work out of
the Laurel and Billings area. Last year’s payroll
was more than $84 million statewide, Frost
said, and the Dennis & Phyllis Washington
Foundation — the philanthropic arm of the
Washington Companies – made $75 million
in donations and contributions in Yellowstone
County.
MRL is classified as a regional railroad
that operates 900 miles of rail in Montana,
Idaho and Washington. Of the 875 miles of
tracks it operates in Montana, about 70 percent
are leased from Burlington Northern Santa
Fe Railroad. Everything from food to farm
products to wood and coal are hauled by some
of MRL’s locomotives and engineers from
Billings to Helena, Missoula and beyond.
Last year, 298,747 cars of freight were hauled

by MRL, amounting to 33 million gross tons.

Coal capital
While kids in vans stopped along
South 27th Street can count rail cars with
petroleum products, construction materials
or various dried goods, coal is king for MRL.
According to Montana Department of
Transportation stats, in 2007, MRL moved
more than 10 million tons of coal. Pulled
from the ground in southeastern Montana,
the coal fuels power plants in various parts
of the country and feeds demand in Asian
markets.
Todd O’Hair, director of government
affairs for Cloud Peak Energy, said about
half of the 6 million tons of coal mined at
the company’s Spring Creek Mine near
Decker went to a power plant in Centralia,
Wash., which the other half went to help fill
demands for Asian markets and was shipped
overseas from a port on the West Coast.
As a major rail user, O’Hair knows the
value of using MRL to get product to market,
even though the mine is within throwing
distance of Wyoming.
“We have an advantage of using the line
in Montana,” O’Hair said. “Because of our
geographical location, we’re closer to market than
going through Wyoming.”
There is also a tax revenue benefit as well. Every
time 110-car coal train rolls through Billings,
$19,000 is paid to the state in form of excise taxes,
equipment taxes and other taxes. Another $5,000
finds its way to county and local government
coffers.
“It’s a major sum of money,” he said.
And not all coal travel is long distance. Some
of it arrives in Billings to power local plants. The
process involves a sort of heavy metal ballet, where
tons of metal get choreographed and moved.
Lisa Perry of PPL Montana said that MRL
plays a vital role of delivering coal to the Corette
Power Plant in Billings after the mined coal

arrives in Billings from BNSF.
Perry said BNSF delivers PPL coal to
Billings and once the train arrives, it is turned
over to MRL. MRL then takes about 25 cars at
a time (known as one cut) and brings them to
the Corette plant. PPL uses its own locomotive
to move and unload the cars. Once the cut is
unloaded, MRL picks up the empty cars and
deliver the next cut.
The process continues until the entire
train is unloaded, which amounts to three
cuts, Perry said. MRL then assembles the
empty cars into one train and contacts BNSF
to pick up the train to take the empty cars
back to the designated mine for loading. On
an annual basis, the Corette plant receives
about 700,000 tons of coal or about 90 trains,
Perry said.
MRL’s impact on the local economy as
a regional railroad is essentially the latest
chapter in a history of Billings’ railroad
history.

Links to the past
Kevin Kooistra-Manning, the community
historian at the Western Heritage Center in
Billings, compiled information for a multimedia
display on the railroad history of Billings.
According to his research, the path now followed
by the railroad tracks was once the same hunting
and trade routes for American Indians and
immigrant wagon trains.
Like other towns along the Yellowstone
River, Kooistra-Manning found, the history
of Billings illustrates the transforming power
of the railroads. The first transcontinental rail
line through Montana was completed by the
Northern Pacific Railway in 1883. This line
traced the Yellowstone River as it cut a southern
route across Montana. This route is now operated

by MRL to the west and BNSF to the east.
What continues to be remarkable, he said,
is that the railroad still plays a powerful role,
which is contrary to the image of a faltering
industry.
“At the beginning of the 21st century, trains
on the national transcontinental lines continue
to operate at or beyond capacity,” the Western
Heritage Center display said. “Trains still
provide a third of the freight hauling business
in the United States.”
Tomorrow and beyond
Frost said 2010 was a turnaround year
for MRL. A drop in the timber industry in
Western Montana was a hit early in the year,
but strong demand for Montana wheat and
coal have more than made up that downturn.
“The economic outlook for Montana Rail
Link continues to provide optimism for the
future,” she said, noting that MRL experienced
growth due to the world market and strong
export demand for commodities including coal
and grain.
“Economic indicators allow us to be very
optimistic, especially in the transport of coal
and grain,” Frost continued. “We are well aware
that we need to think globally when analyzing
our business development. The potential of a
dramatic increase of export coal from Montana
and surrounding states will have an impact on
Montana Rail Link as well as other associate
businesses.”
One sign of the positive outlook is in the
job market. MRL hired 46 new operating
employees and new Maintenance of Way staff
in March, Frost said.
Whether it’s coal or groceries, minerals or
mechanical parts, Billings remains a main hub
for moving the state’s economy.
And it’s clear that a rail runs through it.

2814 2nd Ave N
259-3624
MAGIC I may 2011 I 83

Just outside of Billings, west of the South Hills and
north of the meandering Yellowstone River, lies a
place created by dreams and grit. A place where
both seedlings and minds can grow.

Inset: Science students from Rocky Mountain College walk
a canoe past the Audubon Education Center during a visit
to the center. Right: Orchard School students gather water
samples from the river near the Audubon Education Center.

84 I may 2011 I MAGIC

The Audubon Conservation Education Center

NATURE’S

CLASSROOM
By Brenda Maas • Photography by James Woodcock

MAGIC I may 2011 I 85

In the cavernous back shed of the Norm
Schoenthal Wet Lab at the Audubon Conservation and Education Center, Norm—
the Audubon Center’s namesake—runs his
gnarled hand through a rich potting mixture
as he talks about how the Center came into
existence. “Gosh, it was the ugliest place in
the world,” he notes with a laugh. “It was an
abandoned gravel pit.”
Likely he doesn’t even realize that the
wishful passion in his voice and the earthy
smell aroused by his rhythmic soil-shifting
intrigue his listener. Connecting the organized yet lush, natural sanctuary outside the
shed doors to the bleak landscape from a decade ago requires great visualization skills.
The Center encompasses 54 shared acres of partially completed and yet-to-becreated microhabitats – eastern Montana landscapes in miniature. It is both a
vision and a future waiting to be written.
Strong forces, including extraordinary visionaries, hundreds of volunteers
and a partnership between the Yellowstone River Parks Association (YRPA),
Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society (YVAS) and Montana Audubon, eventually converged in 1998. Like a phoenix emerging from the ashes, the Audubon
Conservation Education Center rose from the former gravel pit. Trees, shrubs
and native grasses grew in and up. Wildflowers lie in wait for their opportunity.
Yet the beauty there belies the years of grassroots organizing and sweaty work

that went into the project.
What stands today—more
than 65,000 trees and shrubs
later—is evidence that the
Billings community values
conservation education.

Physical labor
is the key

“If we are to be
responsible stewards
of the land, it is vitally
important to recognize
where our food comes
from, where we get our
water, and where and
how our energy is
generated.”

Earth Day 2010 dawned
as a perfect Montana spring
day – sunny, 50s and no
wind. Beyond the weather,
what happened on that day
— Heather Ristow,
continues to inspire Center
Audubon Center
Director, Darcie Vallant. “To
education
director
see 250 volunteers show up
on their Saturday to do this
kind of work – collect trash and pick up dog poop – convinced me that this
community wants this place to happen,” she emphasizes. “We are a technology-driven society, and we spend most of our time indoors. Yet we are an
animal and we need to be part of our environment, we need to connect
with our natural surroundings.”
The Audubon Center is the place to do just that.
Every tree, shrub, grass and flower outside the center was planted by a
volunteer. More than 1,500 community volunteers have put in more than
10,000 work hours. Schoenthal rattles off a seemingly endless list of volunteers – scouts, school groups, businesses, civic groups and civilians
– who have had a hand in installing more than 65,000 plantings. It is a
massive undertaking when looked at a whole. Yet, the overall effect is
still in its infancy.

“I feel like a real scientist!”
Heather Ristow, the Center’s education director, overheard that comment when a fourth-grader discovered a pile of duck bones and created a
hypothesis about what happened to the duck. She and the five other teacher
naturalists hear similar comments daily as children of all ages make discoveries about their natural world. Some are handling an insect or observing a turtle close up for the first time. One of the Center’s most popular
programs, Audubon Naturalists in the Schools (ANTS), included more
than 400 students from 17 area schools this year and with a total of more

86 I may 2011 I MAGIC

Good News for

High
Fear

Left: Students from Orchard School pull a canoe out of the river. Above: Orchard School
students examine water life scraped from a shallow area near the Audubon Education
Center. Below: Heather Ristow, Audubon education director, talks to students.

than 900 students
since its inception
in 2008. Ristow
oversees the ANTS
program
along
with the new preschool, afterschool,
summer camps and
increasingly-popular family-oriented
programs. A program in January
about arachnoids
attracted 65 people
and 35 adults and
children traversed
the trails on a frigid December Owl Prowl evening.
The programs’ popularity didn’t really surprise Ristow.
“Nature is intrinsically interesting, and ‘naturally’ humans are drawn to it,” she notes. “We are
not as connected to the natural world that sustains us as we were just a few generations ago. If
we are to be responsible stewards of the land, it
is vitally important to recognize where our food
comes from, where we get our water, and where
and how our energy is generated.”
For John Miller, a biology and environmental science teacher at West High School, the Center is a living, outdoor laboratory. For the past 15 years, Miller
and his students have traveled to the Center in a variety of scientific quests – field trips that give the students, potential scientists and teachers themselves,
the get-your-hands-dirty kind of experience that
they will build into future careers. For example,
their grasshopper population survey involves a
capture-mark-recapture method that field biologists often use with insects, fish and small rodents.
So these students, still in high school, have experience with an industry-standard survey method

before they even enter college.
In addition, classes like Miller’s will learn
about water quality by studying the macroinvertebrates in the Center’s ponds. Others
will use tracking and bird counts to study ecosystems or even complete independent study
projects that are not possible inside institutional walls.
“The Center is certainly valued for the
outdoor education aspect that it provides,
the connection to our local ecosystems—
birds, insects and aquatic life,” says Miller.
“It’s important for kids to understand the
basics about ecosystem dynamics before
they can then convert that to the greater
world around us.”

Looking to the future
Miller also notes that he now sees students
who have been involved with the Center since
they were in grade school. “Their volunteer work
from elementary and then into junior high and
now senior high is a reflection of how these kids
value this Center and what it does for their community. Someday these kids will be parents and
take their own kids down there, point to a tree
that’s 30 or 40 feet tall, and say, ‘I planted that.’
That matters.”
Back in the planting shed, despite being
in the fall season of his own life, Schoenthal’s
eyes light up as he speculates about the Center’s future – 10, 15 or even 20 years from
now – when the trees will tower and the
understory of shrubs and wildflowers will
be home to the many species of birds and
other wildlife of eastern Montana’s native
habitats. It will be there, forever for all of
Billings to explore. For him, it’s not a personal quest – it’s a community’s quest. Or,
perhaps, a community’s destiny.

On June 18, 2011, seasoned runners and novice athletes alike will put their
endurance to the test as they pound the pavement through the scenic streets of
Billings during the 32nd annual Heart and Sole Run.
The event, started by St.Vincent Healthcare more than three decades ago, has
grown in popularity, drawing competitors from across Montana and 11 other
western states. For the second year in a row, the Heart and Sole Race is also the
5K Road Runners Club of America State Championship Race â&#x20AC;&#x201C; everyone who
enters the 5K is automatically entered in the Championship.

By Jamie Besel

Photography by Casey Riffe

Last year the run drew
a record-breaking 3,000
participants. According to
Dave Irion, executive director
of St. Vincent Healthcare
Foundation, this year racers
will see changes that will help
make the Heart and Sole a
destination-style event.

The race is on

“The event will continue
to focus on healthy
living, while at the same
time encouraging the
whole family to become
involved.”

For participants, one of the
most noticeable changes will
be an updated course, with
—Dave Irion
runners crossing the finish
Executive Director, St. Vincent Healthcare
line inside the stadium at
Foundation
Dehler Park.
“There will be live music and streaming video Fitness for life
from the finish line to the big screen,” Irion said. Transforming the Heart and Sole Run into an
Family members and spectators can applaud event with a broader focus on community health
and cheer as people cross the finish.
and fitness is the biggest goal for organizers.
Adding to the festive spirit, a new, healthy- “The event will continue to focus on healthy
living exposition will take place simultaneously living,” Irion points out, “While at the same
on the stadium grounds. Sponsored by time encouraging the whole family to become
BlueCross BlueShield of Montana, the Wake involved.”
Up Your Life Wellness Festival will feature live Community support has been integral to
entertainment, interactive booths, kids events growing the event.
and family fun.
This year, Billings Gazette Communications

joins St. Vincent Healthcare
as a presenting sponsor, and
many other businesses have
stepped up as major sponsors.
In addition, the race will
be managed by Montana
Amateur Sports, the same
non-profit organization that
directs the Big Sky State
Games. “Heart and Sole has
a terrific 31-year history.
We will strive to honor that
legacy of achievement while
forging the changes required
to grow and improve the
event,” said Karen Sanford
Gall, executive director of
Montana Amateur Sports. Many volunteers
have also stepped up working tirelessly to take
this race to the next level.
As Irion points out, not only does the Heart
& Sole Run promote the health and well-being
of everyone involved, it embodies the spirit of
giving in the community.

Events for everyone
For those who may be intimidated by the
word “run,” Irion stresses that the event has a

class for anyone – casual walkers, amateur runners and seasoned racers
alike. Participants can enter the 10K run, 5K run or 2-Mile Health Walk,
and everyone is invited to attend the Wake Up Your Life Wellness Festival
at Dehler Park.
The wellness festival is free, and proceeds from the race will benefit
YMCA youth scholarships and assist the development of trails in the
greater Billings Area.

Post Race Festival

®Registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and
Blue Shield Plans. LIVE SMART. LIVE HEALTHY.® is a registered mark and WAKE UP YOUR LIFESM is a service mark
of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Saturday, June 18, Dehler Park
8:30 to noon at the corner of
North 27th Street and 9th Avenue North
Sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, in
conjunction with the “Wake Up Your Life” campaign,
the festival will feature live music by Funk in the Trunk,
interactive games, numerous vendors, kids events and
activities and family fun. Admission is free and open to the
public.
According to Mike McGuire, communications specialist
with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, the idea behind
the wellness festival is to raise awareness of the myriad of
wellness resources available in Billings.
“The philosophy is that staying fit and leading a healthy
lifestyle can be fun,” emphasizes McGuire. “It’s all about
waking up your life and doing something fun that keeps you
in shape.”
McGuire is quick to point out that none of this would
be possible without the help of vendors and community
volunteers.
“When people donate their time and money, everyone feels
better,” McGuire said. And feeling better is what the Heart
and Sole Run and Wake Up Your Life Wellness Festival are all
about.

The romance of cowboy culture comes alive on the streets of Billings at the
Wild West Soirée on June 24 -25. Bring the family to this western street
fair for gunfights, live music, food and auction of works by local artists.
Proceeds benefit the Alberta Bair Theater.

406-655-1711
2619 St. Johns Ave., Suite B
Agent is independent of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana
and offers its products only in the state of Montana.

* Thoroughbred research June-September 2010

Registered marks of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an association of
Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. LIVE SMART LIVE HEALTHY
is a registered trademark of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana, an
independent licensee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

MAGIC I may 2011 I 97

LAST WORD

pet trivia

More
than
50%

Every known
dog has a pink
tongue, except
for the
Chow, whose
tongue is jet

of all pet
owners
would
rather be
stranded
on a desert
island
with their

black.

pet and
not
another
person.

Cats have
more than

100

vocal
sounds,
while dogs
only have
about

4.6 million

households in the United States

own a reptile.

10

An estimated
1 million dogs

in
theU.S.
have been
named the

primary
beneficiary
in their
ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will.

A cat
can
be either
rightpawed
or leftpawed.
Sources: American Pet Products Association, ipet.com, Pet Insurance.com